Latest news with #Frontline
Forbes
31-07-2025
- Health
- Forbes
Your Pet's Topical Flea Treatments Harm Wildlife
If you have any itchy dog or cat, you may reach for familiar topical flea treatments like Frontline, Advantage, or PetArmor. These products promise pets fast, easy protection from fleas and ticks. Unfortunately, this convenience comes at a hidden environmental cost. Two pesticides, fipronil and imidacloprid, are typically the active ingredients in topical treatments. These same compounds were banned from agricultural use in parts of Europe and California because they are so harmful to bees and other pollinators. Yet we're still smearing these pesticides on our pets, and they are showing up in rivers and streams across the country. Flea-Killing Chemicals End Up In Waterways Topical flea treatments are designed to stay on a pet's skin and fur, but that also means they can easily wash off into household drains or outdoor water bodies. Earlier this year, a study from the University of Sussex found that dogs can continue shedding fipronil into the environment for up to 28 days after a single treatment. They further found that a single treated dog swimming in a small pond raised pesticide concentrations above safety thresholds. Pet swimming isn't the only concern. In fact, the primary route of contamination appears to be everyday activities like washing hands after applying the product, bathing pets, and laundering pet bedding. These actions send pesticide-laced water into treatment plants that are not designed to remove such compounds. One study from the California Environmental Protection Agency found fipronil in wash water from dogs treated weeks earlier. Regardless of their filtration technology, conventional wastewater treatment facilities allow these chemicals to pass through, discharging them directly into rivers, bays, and oceans. Wildlife Is Paying the Price For Pets' Fleas Fipronil and imidacloprid are extremely toxic to aquatic invertebrates. In some cases, exposure to even tiny amounts can kill freshwater shrimp and insect larvae or impair their ability to survive and reproduce. A study by the San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) found fipronil in all tested sewage treatment plants at concentrations above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recommended limit for aquatic ecosystems. Imidacloprid was also found at levels between 84 and 305 parts per trillion, well above the limit of 10 parts per trillion. Water and sediment samples from San Francisco Bay show pesticide levels near or above toxicity thresholds for invertebrates. According to Dr. Rebecca Sutton of SFEI, 'that's the base of our food web. So, if those critters experience impacts, it could go up and harm our fish and our wildlife.' The contamination doesn't stop with water. Another study led by the University of Sussex found fipronil in every single bird nest examined. Imidacloprid and permethrin were found in 89 percent. Birds often use pet fur to line their nests, exposing their eggs and chicks to these neurotoxins. The researchers linked this exposure to lower hatching success and higher chick mortality rates. Safer Flea Solutions Are Already Available Veterinarians increasingly recommend oral flea and tick medications, which are safer for the environment. These treatments are metabolized internally, meaning there is no pesticide residue left on pet fur to wash off into water systems. Some options include: If you must use topicals, avoid unnecessary treatments and consider seasonal use instead of year-round application. You can ask your vet about the monthly topical Revolution or the quarterly topical Bravecto. You should also keep treated pets out of natural water sources for at least 28 days after topical application. To reduce the risk of fleas in the first place, you can vacuum your home and your pet's bedding often (and empty the bag). See more tips for pet owners and veterinarians about chewable flea and tick medications from San Francisco Bay Area wastewater agencies. Flea Treatment Market Is Ripe For Innovation Though safer options exist, companies should innovate to find more solutions that protect our pets without polluting the planet. The flea and tick treatment market is valued at 9.7 billion dollars globally in 2024 and is projected to grow to 14.8 billion by 2034. For companies willing to act, this presents a strategic advantage. Brands that lead on safety, sustainability, and transparency will be well positioned as consumer awareness catches up with the science. The health of our pets and the health of our planet are linked, and both deserve better.
Cision Canada
30-07-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
TeamViewer Named Best-in-Class for Connected Worker Platforms in 2025 PAC RADAR
GÖPPINGEN, Germany, July 30, 2025 /CNW/ -- TeamViewer, a global leader in digital workplace solutions, has been named the only best-in-class vendor in the Digital Platforms for Connected Workers category in the PAC RADAR "Digital Platforms & Service Providers for Specific Industrial Use Cases in Europe 2025." This is the second consecutive year the company has been recognized as a leader in the space. The ranking highlights the strength of TeamViewer Frontline, an integrated augmented reality (AR) platform for frontline productivity that transforms manual processes for logistics, manufacturing, and field service teams. Used on smart glasses, industrial wearables, and mobile devices, Frontline enables employees to follow guided workflows, collaborate with remote experts, and access context-specific data in real time. The platform integrates with core systems, including SAP, Siemens, and Manhattan Associates, enabling organizations to reduce errors, increase efficiency, and digitalize processes at scale without requiring infrastructure changes. "While the market for connected worker platforms is still in a consolidation phase, our analysis shows that TeamViewer is currently the only best-in-class provider. Thanks to its focus on the right use cases and the right partnerships, TeamViewer is growing faster than the market and gaining further market share," said Arnold Vogt, Head of Digital & IoT at PAC. In the past year, TeamViewer has seen continued adoption of Frontline by global companies seeking to optimize warehouse operations, technician support, and industrial training. For example: GE Aerospace is using Frontline Upskill, previously known as Frontline's Spatial offering, to train technicians worldwide using 3D models of engines and aircraft components. Volvo Group uses Frontline's vision picking solution to improve spare parts logistics, achieving a 25% increase in picking quality and faster onboarding at its Sydney distribution center. a Swiss logistics and retail provider, implemented vision picking using smart glasses and achieved 15% faster order processing and a 12% reduction in errors during peak periods. Vandemoortele, a European food group, scaled Frontline across 6 warehouse sites, reducing average training time for temporary workers by 25%. Uniting, one of Australia's largest care providers, is piloting Frontline to improve onboarding and training of support staff in aged care facilities. "We're honored to be recognized again by PAC, and especially proud to be the only company named best in class in our category this year," said Mei Dent, Chief Product and Technology Officer at TeamViewer. "This validation underscores the work we're doing to solve real operational challenges with practical, scalable technology that empowers people on the frontline, and makes them an integral part of holistic enterprise digitalization strategies." As part of that commitment, TeamViewer continues to expand the capabilities for connected workers through deeper integration of artificial intelligence. AI now enhances a range of use cases across the suite: real-time multilingual subtitles help break down communication barriers in remote support sessions, automatic transcription and summarization tools capture key knowledge with minimal effort, and new tools like AI-powered workflow generation instantly convert PDFs into structured digital workflows, easing supervisor workloads and accelerating rollout. About TeamViewer TeamViewer provides a Digital Workplace platform that connects people with technology – enabling, improving and automating digital processes to make work work better. In 2005, TeamViewer started with software to connect to computers from anywhere to eliminate travel and enhance productivity. It rapidly became the de facto standard for remote access and support and the preferred solution for hundreds of millions of users across the world to help others with IT issues. Today, around 660,000 customers across industries rely on TeamViewer to optimize their digital workplaces - from small to medium sized businesses to the world's largest enterprises - empowering both desk-based employees and frontline workers. Organizations use TeamViewer's solutions to prevent and resolve disruptions with digital endpoints of any kind, securely manage complex IT and industrial device landscapes, and enhance processes with augmented reality powered workflows and assistance - leveraging AI and integrating seamlessly with leading tech partners. Against the backdrop of global digital transformation and challenges like shortage of skilled labor, hybrid working, accelerated data analysis and the rise of new technologies, TeamViewer's solutions offer a clear value add by increasing productivity, reducing machine downtime, speeding up talent onboarding, and improving customer and employee satisfaction. The company is headquartered in Göppingen, Germany, and employs around 1,900 people globally. In 2024, TeamViewer achieved a revenue of around EUR 671 million. TeamViewer SE (TMV) is listed at Frankfurt Stock Exchange and belongs to the MDAX. Further information can be found at .
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First Post
30-07-2025
- First Post
Inside New York shooter's suicide note that claims he had brain damage owing to American football
Shane Tamura, who shot and killed four people at an office tower in Manhattan, left a 'suicide note' claiming the National Football League (NFL) was responsible for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain condition he said he was suffering from. Meanwhile, the police are still investigating the motive behind the attack, which is now considered the worst mass shooting in a quarter of a century read more The suspect has been identified as 27-year-old Shane Tamura. Reuters The man who shot dead four people at a Manhattan office tower left behind a 'suicide note' claiming the National Football League (NFL) was to blame for a brain condition he said he was suffering from. The suspect has been identified as 27-year-old Shane Tamura, a casino security officer from Las Vegas who used to play high school football. Police are still investigating the reason behind the attack, which is now considered the worst mass shooting in New York City in a quarter of a century. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Authorities have confirmed that Tamura left a note stating he targeted the NFL's headquarters because he believed he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). So, what was in the note? What exactly is CTE? And did the shooter really have it? Let's take a look: What did the note say? Shane Tamura opened fire in the lobby of a Manhattan skyscraper, then shot another person in an office on the 33rd floor before taking his own life on Monday. Tamura had played high school football in California around ten years ago, though he never played professionally. According to police, he also had a history of mental health issues, though no further details were shared. A three-page note was found on his body. In the letter, Tamura accused the NFL of hiding the risks of brain injuries among players in order to protect its profits. Shane Tamura's suicide note. 'Study my brain for CTE. The league (NFL) knowingly concealed the dangers to our brains to maximize profits. They failed us.' He deliberately shot himself in the chest rather than the head. — Spencer Hakimian (@SpencerHakimian) July 30, 2025 Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the note also referred to a 2013 'Frontline' documentary that featured former NFL players who had developed CTE, a condition linked to repeated blows to the head and common in contact sports. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD ''Study my brain. I'm sorry,' Tisch said, quoting directly from Tamura's note. Notably, the note also mentioned former Pittsburgh Steelers player Terry Long, who was diagnosed with CTE and died by suicide after drinking antifreeze two decades ago. A second note was found at Tamura's home in Las Vegas on Tuesday. In it, he wrote something along the lines of: 'When I look into you and dad's eyes, I see complete disappointment,' referring to his parents, sources told The New York Post. He also named journalists who co-authored 'League of Denial', a book on brain injuries in football, and listed several doctors, including Dr Ann McKee, who heads neuropathology at Boston University's Alzheimer's centre; Dr Christopher Nowinski, co-founder of BU's CTE Centre; and Bennet Omalu, the report said. What is CTE? The shooting suspect said he was suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disease thought to be caused by repeated head injuries. CTE has been linked to aggression, memory loss, and dementia. It can only be confirmed through a post-mortem examination. The condition usually affects people who have had frequent head trauma, such as athletes in contact sports or military veterans. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Over time, it causes permanent damage to nerve cells in the brain, a process known as neurodegeneration. This can lead to changes in behaviour, mood, and thinking ability, according to Cleveland Clinic. Why is it linked to the NFL? Studies have shown a strong connection between CTE and repeated head impacts, often seen in sports like football, as well as military service and other similar settings. For years, the NFL denied any link between football and CTE. But in 2016, league officials acknowledged the connection during a hearing before the US Congress. Since then, the NFL has paid out over $1.4 billion to former players for concussion-related health claims. The condition gained more public attention with the release of 'Concussion', a 2015 film starring Will Smith. The film told the story of Dr Bennet Omalu, the forensic pathologist who first identified CTE in Mike Webster, a former Pittsburgh Steelers player and Hall of Famer. Police are still investigating the reason behind the attack. Reuters What are the symptoms? In its early stages, CTE can cause: changes in mood, including depression or suicidal thoughts shifts in personality behaviour changes, such as aggression or mood swings As the condition progresses, it affects thinking and memory more severely. Symptoms may include: short-term memory loss confusion, including getting lost or losing track of time trouble with planning and organising movement difficulties These signs tend to appear gradually, often around a decade after repeated head injuries. What causes CTE? CTE is linked to repeated head injuries over many years. Most people diagnosed with it have a long history of such trauma. Researchers believe that a build-up of abnormal tau proteins in the brain may also play a role. These proteins usually help cells keep their structure, but repeated head impacts can damage brain cells, causing tau proteins to form clumps, according to Cleveland Clinic. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The only known way to reduce your risk of CTE is to avoid repeated blows to the head. Can CTE be treated? There is no cure for CTE, but certain treatments can help manage symptoms. These may include: physiotherapy to help with movement issues occupational therapy to assist with daily tasks or adapting your living space speech and language therapy for support with speech, memory, or swallowing problems Did the NYC shooter have CTE? There is no way to confirm that at this time. CTE can only be diagnosed with certainty after death by examining the brain during an autopsy. With inputs from agencies
TimesLIVE
30-07-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
NYC skyscraper shooter's ‘suicide note' blamed NFL for brain disease
The man who killed four people with an assault-style rifle inside a Midtown Manhattan skyscraper was carrying a "suicide note" blaming the National Football League (NFL) for a degenerative brain disease he claimed to have, New York City's police commissioner said on Tuesday. Police have identified the gunman as Shane Tamura, 27, a Las Vegas casino security officer and former high school football player with a documented history of mental illness. Tamura killed two security guards, one a city police officer on security detail, and a real estate executive and a business management associate before taking his own life on the 33rd floor of the Park Avenue skyscraper. The note, Tisch said, mentions a 2013 Frontline documentary featuring former NFL players who suffered from CTE, which has no known treatment and can be caused by repeated shaking of the brain associated with playing contact sports. Linked to aggression and dementia, the condition can only be diagnosed conclusively after death. "'Study my brain. I'm sorry,'" Tisch quoted Tamura as having written in the note. The commissioner said Tamura had fatally shot himself in the chest. The NFL has paid more than $1bn (R17.8bn) to settle concussion-related lawsuits with thousands of retired players after the deaths of several high-profile players. It has made changes to the sport to mitigate the risk of concussions. Tamura was never an NFL player, but he did play football during high school in California, according to school sports databases. A former coach of Tamura, Walter Roby, told Fox News Tamura was a "quiet, hard worker" and one of his "top offensive players" on the Granada Hills Charter School team. According to police, the first victim killed on Monday was Didarul Islam, 36, a New York police department (NYPD) officer who immigrated to the US from Bangladesh and was the father of two young boys. Islam's wife is pregnant with their third child. Assigned to the building's security detail, he was hailed by mayor Eric Adams as a "true blue" hero. A private security officer, identified by family as Aland Etienne, was fatally shot in the lobby moments after Islam, along with Wesley LePatner, a senior real estate executive for Blackstone, the private equity firm also headquartered in the tower. Several of her colleagues at Blackstone were injured, according to the company. An employee of the NFL, which has its headquarters in the building alongside offices of major financial firms, was gravely wounded in the attack, which was the deadliest mass shooting in New York City in a 25 years. The NFL worker was among several people shot in the lobby before Tamura, targeting the football league, used the wrong elevator bank and ended up in the 33rd-floor office suite of Rudin Management, a real estate company that owns the building, city officials said. "A suicide note found in his possession at the scene spoke of a possible motive in the shooting and may explain why he targeted NFL headquarters," police commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a video message posted on YouTube on Tuesday. In the note Tamura "claimed to be suffering from CTE, possibly from playing high school football, and he blamed the NFL," Tisch said. CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, is a degenerative brain disease. The last victim killed was Julia Hyman, a 2020 graduate of the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration, who was working as an associate at Rudin Management, according to her alma mater. The skyscraper was closed to workers on Tuesday, as were some neighbouring buildings, though much of Park Avenue hummed as usual. The Park Avenue shooting comes after last year's murder of a UnitedHealth executive outside a hotel located a few blocks away. Prosecutors said the man charged with that murder targeted his victim as a symbol of corporate greed. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wrote in a staff memo that New York-based league employees should plan to work remotely through until at least the end of next week. An NFL spokesperson did not respond to queries about the shooter's reported motives. Tamura appeared to have driven to Manhattan from Las Vegas over three days and to have acted alone, Tisch told reporters on Monday night. In her video message on Tuesday, the commissioner said NYPD detectives would be questioning an unnamed "associate" of Tamura who she said had purchased a component of the "AR-15-style assault rifle" he assembled for the killing spree. "This is part of a larger effort to trace Mr Tamura's steps from Las Vegas to New York City," Tisch said. Security video circulated by police showed a man walking from a double-parked car into the Park Avenue tower carrying what police identified as an M4 Carbine, a large semi-automatic rifle popular with civilian US gun enthusiasts that is modeled on a fully automatic rifle used by the US military. In Nevada, unlike New York, no permit is needed to buy a rifle or carry it openly in public. The security camera system flagged the gunman as a potential threat requiring immediate attention as he walked toward the building and seconds before he burst into the building's lobby, according to two former federal officials familiar with the systems. A widely circulated photo showed the Nevada permit issued to Tamura allowing him to legally carry a concealed handgun. He had recently worked as an overnight security guard at the Horseshoe Las Vegas hotel-casino, Tisch said. On two occasions, in 2022 and 2024, records show law enforcement officials detained Tamura for up to 72-hours under a "mental health crisis hold", which requires the detainee to be evaluated at a hospital, ABC News reported.
ABC News
30-07-2025
- Health
- ABC News
The NYC gunman who killed four left a note to 'study my brain' for CTE. What does that mean?
The gunman who killed four people inside a New York office this week before turning the gun on himself was carrying a handwritten note that said: "Study my brain." Shane Tamura wrote that he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) — a brain disease diagnosable only after death — investigators said. But what exactly happened, and what is CTE? The 27-year-old man from Las Vegas killed four people before taking his own life on the 33rd floor of the Park Avenue skyscraper on Monday. Officials said he intended to target the NFL headquarters but took the wrong elevator — instead spraying the lobby of a skyscraper and killing four people: a police officer, a security guard and two people who worked at companies in the building. Police said Tamura had a history of mental illness, and the note found on his body suggested he had a grievance against the NFL over an unsubstantiated claim that he suffered from CTE. In the three-page note found on his body, the gunman accused the NFL of concealing the dangers of brain injuries linked to contact sports for profits. In the note, Tamura "claimed to be suffering from CTE, possibly from playing high school football", New York Police Commissioner Tisch said. "Study my brain. I'm sorry," Tamura was quoted as having written. The note mentioned a 2013 Frontline documentary featuring former NFL players who suffered from CTE, which has no known treatment and can be caused by repeated shaking of the brain associated with playing contact sports. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy can affect regions of the brain involved with regulating behaviour and emotions. This can lead to memory loss, depression, violent mood swings and other cognitive and behavioural issues, though researchers note that these symptoms can also be linked to other illnesses. Experts say symptoms can arise years or decades after the last brain trauma. Evidence of the disease has been found not just in those with long professional careers but in high school athletes as well. We don't know. CTE can be diagnosed only by examining a brain after death, and it is unclear whether he was showing symptoms. Tamura was never an NFL player but he did play high school football in California a decade ago and had a history of mental illness, police said without giving details. The degenerative brain disease has been linked to concussions and other repeated head trauma common in contact sports such as football. According to Boston University's Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center, progressive degeneration of brain tissue in people with CTE includes the build-up of an abnormal protein called tau in a pattern that distinguishes it from other diseases, such as Alzheimer's. Researchers have established a connection between CTE and contact sports, military combat and other activities with repeated blows to the head. After more than a decade of denial, the NFL conceded the link between football and CTE in 2016 testimony before Congress, and has so far paid more than $US1.4 billion ($2.1 billion) to retired players to settle concussion-related claims. The pioneering efforts of forensic pathologist Bennet Omalu led to the diagnosis of CTE in Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame centre Mike Webster — the first in a former NFL player. CTE has been diagnosed in more than 100 former NFL players, including NFL Hall of Famers Ken Stabler, Frank Gifford, Junior Seau and most famously Aaron Hernandez, the former New England Patriots star who killed himself in prison at 27 years old while serving a life sentence for a 2013 murder. Among nearly 2,000 former NFL players, one-third believed they were living with CTE, a 2024 Harvard paper concluded. During the news conference, Commissioner Tisch said the death of Didarul Islam was "yet another reminder of everything you risk just by showing up to work". The 36-year-old Bronx officer was the first of four killed in the attack. He was an immigrant from Bangladesh who served as a police officer in New York City for three and a half years, working in a program that let private companies hire officers for security work. He was married and had two young boys, and his wife was pregnant with their third child, Commissioner Tisch said. Blackstone, one of the world's largest investment firms, confirmed one of its employees, Wesley LePatner, was also among those killed. A Yale graduate, LePatner was a real estate executive, according to Blackstone's website, and she spent more than a decade at Goldman Sachs before joining the firm in 2014. "She was brilliant, passionate, warm, generous, and deeply respected within our firm and beyond," the firm said in a statement. A labour union identified the security officer killed as Aland Etienne. His death "speaks to the sacrifice of security officers" who risked their lives to keep New Yorkers safe, Manny Pastreich, the president of Local 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union, said in a statement. "Aland Etienne is a New York hero," Pastreich said. "We will remember him as such." The last victim killed was Julia Hyman, a 2020 graduate of the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration, who was working as an associate at Rudin Management, according to her alma mater. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a memo to staff that a league employee was seriously injured in the attack and was now stable at a hospital. He said that "all of our employees are otherwise safe and accounted for". AP/Reuters/ABC
