Month: December 2024

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Health

The FDA approves Eli Lilly's weight-loss drug Zepbound for sleep apnea

The FDA approves Eli Lilly's weight-loss drug Zepbound for sleep apnea

An Eli Lilly & Co. Zepbound injection pen was arranged on Thursday, March 28, 2024, in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, USA.

Shelby Knowles | Bloomberg | Getty Images

The Food and Drug Administration gave approval Friday Eli LillyZepbound, the blockbuster weight-loss drug developed to treat patients with the most common sleep-disordered breathing disorder, is expanding its use and potentially insurance coverage in the United States

The weekly injection is now the first drug treatment option approved for patients with obesity and moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). These are pauses in breathing during sleep due to narrowed or blocked airways. Zepbound should be used in combination with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, the FDA noted in a news release.

According to Eli Lilly, an estimated 80 million patients in the United States suffer from this disease. About 20 million of those people suffer from moderate to severe forms of the disease, but 85% of cases go undiagnosed, the company told CNBC earlier this year.

“Too often, OSA is dismissed as 'just snoring' – but it is much more than that,” said Julie Flygare, president and CEO of Project Sleep, a nonprofit organization that advocates for sleep health and sleep disorders, in an Eli Lilly press release . “It is important to understand OSA symptoms and know that treatments are available, including new options like Zepbound. We hope this will lead to more meaningful conversations between patients and healthcare providers and ultimately lead to better health outcomes.”

Eli Lilly expects to bring the OSA drug to market early next year. It is the first approval beyond the treatment of obesity for Zepbound, which came to market late last year and is also being tested for several other obesity-related diseases such as fatty liver disease. Tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Zepbound, has long been sold on the US market as the diabetes drug Mounjaro.

The agency's decision could pave the way for Eli Lilly to get more comprehensive insurance coverage for Zepbound, which like other weight-loss drugs isn't covered by many insurance plans. This includes the federal Medicare program, which only covers obesity medications if they are approved and prescribed for additional health benefits.

The approval also underscores growing evidence that GLP-1 may bring additional health benefits, a class of weight loss and diabetes treatments that have surged in popularity and been in short supply over the past year. In particular, Zepbound's main competitor, the weight loss drug Wegovy Novo Nordiskis not approved for OSA.

Zepbound could be a valuable new treatment option for patients with OSA, which can cause loud snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness and lead to serious complications such as stroke and heart failure. Patients with this condition have limited treatment options beyond wearing masks attached to cumbersome machines that generate positive airway pressure (PAP) to allow normal breathing.

Eli Lilly released initial results from two clinical trials in April that showed Zepbound was more effective than a placebo in reducing the severity of OSA in patients with obesity after one year.

In June, Eli Lilly released additional data from the trials showing that Zepbound helped
resolve OSA in almost half of patients. The first study examined weekly injections in adults with moderate to severe OSA and obesity who were not receiving PAP therapy. The second study tested Zepbound in adults with the same conditions, but these participants were on PAP therapy and planned to continue it.

The data showed that 43% of people in the first study and 51.5% of patients in the second study who took the highest dose of Zepbound achieved “disease resolution,” according to the company. This compares to 14.9% and 13.6% of patients who took a placebo in the two studies, respectively.

Researchers came to these conclusions by studying an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), which records how many times per hour a person's breathing shows a restricted or completely blocked airway. The index is used to evaluate the severity of obstructive sleep apnea and the effectiveness of treating the condition.

The company explained that disease resolution in OSA is defined as a patient experiencing fewer than five AHI events per hour. According to Eli Lilly, it is also defined as a person who has five to 14 AHI events per hour and scores a certain number on a standard survey measuring excessive daytime sleepiness.

Categories
Science

Local weather Change Weekly # 529 – Dangerous Estimates of Photo voltaic Exercise and Temperatures Undermine Local weather Change Projections – Watts Up With That?

Climate Change Weekly # 529 – Bad Estimates of Solar Activity and Temperatures Undermine Climate Change Projections – Watts Up With That?

From THE HEARTLAND INSTITUTE

By H. Sterling Burnett

SUBSCRIBE to Climate Change Weekly

IN THIS ISSUE:

  • Bad Estimates of Solar Activity and Temperatures Undermine Climate Change Projections
  • Ocean Emissions Cool the Climate, Forests Also Cool Oceans Remove More Carbon Dioxide Than Previously Believed
  • Greenhouse Gasses Are Saturated, Not Causing Warming, New Study Says

Bad Estimates of Solar Activity and Temperatures Undermine Climate Change Projections

The Heritage Foundation recently published a paper from the leading scientists at the Center for Environmental Research and Earth Sciences (CERES) that argues the debate over the causes and consequences of climate change is not settled, in part because the climate models likely fail to account for problems with the temperature record and the influence of solar activity on climate.

Concerning the temperature record, the paper points out there are three principal sources of local temperatures that are averaged and combined to produce “global average temperatures,” surface stations, which include both land-based and ocean-based temperature readings, satellite measurements, and weather balloon measurements. The paper describes how average readings are determined and communicated. The problem identified by CERES, a problem others have pointed to previously, including repeatedly by Anthony Watts, is that the surface temperature record is beset by persistent the heat bias stemming from surface stations being improperly located.

CERES shows that the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) fails to adequately address this and other problems associated with the surface station record, as displayed in contaminated homogenized temperature datasets. CERES’ research suggests that the IPCC’s temperature “data” is as much as 40 percent warmer than it would be were the bias from the urban heat island effect and flawed homogenization properly accounted for.

Concerning natural factors that impact climate, the IPCC only modeled two natural factors, ignoring a number of others: volcanic activity and solar irradiance (solar activity). Interestingly, despite CERES identifying a minimum of 27 different estimates of long-term solar irradiance since 1850, the IPCC chose to only examine one estimate, one that just happened to suggest that the Sun did not play a measurable role in recent climate change. Other estimates show a larger impact on temperatures, both decadal and over longer time scales. As CERES writes:

We … have concerns about the IPCC’s handling of the ongoing scientific debate over the changes in solar activity (TSI) since 1850. The TSI estimate used by the computer model simulations that contributed to the IPCC analysis was guaranteed to show that global warming was “mostly human-caused.” However, we have identified at least 27 different estimates of the changes in TSI since 1850. Several of these estimates suggest that global warming is “mostly natural,” and several suggest that global warming is a mixture of natural and human-caused factors.

In the end, the IPCC’s claims that the science is settled and that human activity, not nature, is responsible for all or the vast majority of present climate change was seemingly pre-ordained by the data sets the IPCC chose. This indicates the IPCC knew the outcome it wanted and tailored its premises to produce it. Per CERES:

We therefore conclude that the IPCC was overconfident and premature in its detection and attribution statements. The scientific debate remains ongoing. In our opinion, the scientific community is not yet in a position to establish whether the observed temperature changes since the 1800s are “mostly natural,” “mostly human-caused,” or “a mixture of both.”

The scientific debate about how much global warming is manmade and how much is natural has not been resolved.

Source: The Heritage Foundation

Ocean Emissions Cool the Climate, Forests Also Cool

Two recent studies reinforce the fact that climate model simulations are wholly inadequate to project climate change and thus, policy makers should not trust such projections to shape policy.

It is widely acknowledged that climate models run too hot and have historically produced false impact projections. The simple fact is scientists don’t understand all the factors that impact temperatures and climate, which becomes more evident with every new journal publication.

I have written dozens of times describing research detailing factors unaccounted for by climate models that likely account for some of the discrepancies between model outputs and reality. Last week, in Climate Change Weekly, I discussed research suggesting that oceans remove far more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than previously believed, and assumed in climate models.

Two new peer-reviewed studies point to other factors impacting climate that models fail to account for.

Research published in the journal Science Advances quantifies emissions of sulfur gas produced by marine life that cools the climate more than previously believed.

The study produced through the collaboration of an international team of 14 scientists from universities and research institutes located in eight countries spanning three continents examined dimethyl sulfide outgassing produced by microscopic plankton living on or near the ocean surface. They found that the sulfur emissions were substantial and contribute to forming aerosol particles that directly reflect sunlight back into the atmosphere and that contribute to cloud formation and brightening, which also reflects sunlight. This dual action has a cooling effect on the Earth’s surface.

Commenting on the importance of this study to an accurate analysis of climate change, Charel Wohl, Ph.D., lead author of the study from the University of East Anglia’s Centre for Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences said:

This is the climatic element with the greatest cooling capacity, but also the least understood. We knew methanethiol was coming out of the ocean, but we had no idea about how much and where. We also did not know it had such an impact on climate.

Climate models have greatly overestimated the solar radiation actually reaching the Southern Ocean, largely because they are not capable of correctly simulating clouds. The work done here partially closes the longstanding knowledge gap between models and observations.

Research published in the journal Nature indicates that models also fail to account for emissions from rainforests, which also tend to cool the climate.

The research by scientists from Finland in collaboration with 80 scientists from universities and research institutes in 11 different countries finds that rainforests emit chemicals that form isoprene-oxygenated organic molecules, with said molecules reaching the troposphere. The atmospheric gases were discovered by aircraft observations, and have been confirmed in laboratory simulations, and by global satellite measurements.

These particles grow and contribute to cloud cover and rainfall, especially over rainforests, ultimately regulating the regional and global climate. Based on laboratory experiments carried out in the European Organization for Nuclear Research’s (CERN) Cosmics Leaving Outdoor Droplets (CLOUD) chamber, the research team determined that isoprene emitted by rainforests drives rapid particle formation in extensive regions of the tropical upper troposphere resulting in tens of thousands of particles per cubic centimeter, and ultimately growth on the right atmospheric conditions. This is important because:

Aerosol particles are important for climate because they scatter and absorb incoming solar radiation and seed cloud droplets by acting as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). More CCN make clouds more reflective and may increase their extent and lifetime. Around half of CCN globally, and almost all in the upper troposphere6, arise from new particle formation ….

Commenting on the study in a news story, Marc Morano, who runs the popular climate change analysis site, Climate Depot, told KTRH 740 AM, Houston, “The amazon rain forests are essentially cloud machines … they’re pumping out clouds by releasing these aerosols from the forest.

“Which then create more clouds, which then cool the earth,” Morano continued. “Clouds are not accounted for well in the climate models, and this is what every skeptical scientist has been saying for decades.”

So, to sum up, three studies published in just the past month have suggested separate factors that impact temperatures, moisture, and climate change more generally – with none of those factors being accounted for by climate models, which have persistently failed over the decades to accurately reflect temperatures. Based on this alone, not even considering the solar irradiance issues raised by CERES discussed above, it is fair to say the science is not settled concerning causes and consequences of climate change.

Sources: University of East Anglia; Science Advances; Climate-Science Press; Nature; Science Direct

New Study: Greenhouse Gasses Are Saturated, Not Causing Warming

In a recent study published in the Journal of Sustainable Development, Michael Simpson from the University of Sheffield, points out that the goal of hitting net zero emissions is a political one, that was undemocratically adopted by the U.K. government. It is not grounded in science.

Simpson’s study goes through the chemistry and physics of greenhouse gases, arguing that there is no climatic reason for reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases to net zero. Even if that goal is politically possible, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O), are saturated in the atmosphere. As a result, per Simpson, “[a]dding to or removing these naturally occurring gases from the atmosphere will make little difference to the temperature or the climate.”

Simpson first explains the mechanism by which net zero was adopted by the U.K. government and what it would mean for its economy. He writes:

The economic consequences of pursuing Net Zero are thought to be devastating for the UK with estimates of costs up to £1.4 trillion for the UK alone offset by £1.1 trillion potential but dubious savings giving a net cost of £321 billion (385.2bn USD) or a cost of £10bn a year rising to £50bn a year according to the UK Climate Change Committee (https://www.theccc.org.uk/publications/). Recent reports (NESO, 2024) clearly show that Net Zero does not pass the cost-benefit test (Montford, 2024b) and is likely to cost each household in the UK £78,000 to decarbonise power generation and £58,000 to decarbonise road transport between now and 2050. With investment costs alone of £40bn per annum to 2050. All this expenditure, ~£300,000 per household in total, will be paid for by taxpayers, consumers, and businesses or through national debt for future generations to pay for (Sasse, 2021). This will hurt the poorest and most vulnerable in society the most, increasing household bills by several thousand pounds a year.

Yet all of this pain would produce no gain in terms of benefits to the U.K. or the world. As Simpson points out doing a brief literature review, there is no evidence that climate change is causing an increase in extreme weather events or making such events worse, more severe, of greater duration, or more powerful. In short, there is no evidence that human greenhouse case emissions are causing dangerous climate change.

And, indeed, Simpson notes, they shouldn’t be because scientific theory and experimentation show the vast quantity of naturally occurring water vapor (H2O) in the atmosphere covers the radiation absorption band of solar radiation. Additions to atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations from humans don’t significantly alter the amount of solar radiation that can be absorbed and retained. On this point, as with others, Simpson contributes no original research. Rather, he gathers and nicely summarizes the research conducted by scientists such as physicists Will Happer (Princeton) and Steve Koonin (New York University), and geologist Ian Plimer (University of Melbourne).

Instead of simply appealing to authority on this point, Simpson also goes through the “ideal gas law” in detail, showing mathematically why additional greenhouse gases can’t have the climatic impact attributed to them by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Based on these facts, since greenhouse gases aren’t producing runaway temperatures or worsening weather, they can’t be causing a climate crisis in need of a big government fix. As a result, Simpson concludes:

There is a case against the adoption of Net Zero given the enormous costs associated with implementing the policy, and the fact it is unlikely to achieve reductions in average near surface global air temperature, regardless of whether Net Zero is fully implemented and adopted worldwide. Therefore, Net Zero does not pass the cost-benefit test. The recommended policy is to abandon Net Zero and do nothing about so-called ‘greenhouse gases.’

Sources: Government of India; CO2 Science

Recommended Sites

H. Sterling Burnett

H. Sterling Burnett, Ph.D., is the Director of the Arthur B. Robinson Center on Climate and Environmental Policy and the managing editor of Environment & Climate News.

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Categories
Sport

Vorschau auf das Halbfinale des FCS Soccer 2024

Vorschau auf das Halbfinale des FCS Football 2024

  • Bill Connelly, ESPN-Mitarbeiterautor20. Dezember 2024, 07:00 Uhr ET

    Schließen

      Bill Connelly ist Mitarbeiterautor für ESPN.com.

Vor den FCS-Playoffs 2024 standen die vier besten Teams des Landes ziemlich klar fest. Ohne die Spiele gegen FBS-Gegner oder gegeneinander blieben Montana State, North Dakota State, South Dakota State und South Dakota in dieser Saison alle ungeschlagen. Sie alle haben in ihrer Form verschiedene Tiefs und (meistens) Höhen erlebt, aber sie waren alle hoch im Kurs, um Halbfinalisten zu werden, und sie alle haben genau das geschafft.

Nachdem wir jedoch das gesamte Fett entfernt haben, kommen wir nun zum Fleisch. Nur zwei dieser vier Teams werden im Januar um den nationalen Titel spielen. Es ist Zeit, ein Paar zu eliminieren.

Das Halbfinale bietet uns zum Auftakt ein Rückspiel der Dakota Marker – es ist das sechste Mal in 13 Jahren, dass North Dakota State und South Dakota State in den Playoffs aufeinandertreffen –, gefolgt von einem Duell zwischen der einzigen ungeschlagenen Mannschaft der Subdivision (Montana State) und in South Dakota einem Emporkömmling am nächsten kommt. Das Wetter wird wahrscheinlich kein Problem sein, da NDSU in einer Kuppel spielt und die Temperaturen in Bozeman (enttäuschend) um die 40°C liegen werden. Aber wir sollten uns auf etwas freuen.

Aktualisierte Prognosen

Als die Playoffs begannen, hatten diese Teams laut SP+ zusammen bereits eine Chance von 86,5 %, den Titel zu gewinnen, während die anderen 20 Teams zusammen nur 13,5 % hatten. Die Chancen der verbleibenden Halbfinalisten haben sich also nicht wesentlich verändert.

SP+-Projektionen

TEAM SAMEN SP+ RK FINALE-QUOTEN TITELQUOTEN (ÄNDERUNG)
Montana St. (14-0) 1 1 63,2 % 33,6 % (+3,3 %)
SDSU (12-2) 3 2 56,5 % 30,5 % (+5,8 %)
NDSU (12-2) 2 3 43,5 % 21,0 % (+2,7 %)
South Dakota (11-2) 4 4 36,8 % 14,9 % (+1,7 %)

Die Quoten im Bundesstaat South Dakota haben sich am meisten verbessert, vor allem weil es den Anschein hat, dass sich die Jackrabbits selbst in den letzten Wochen am meisten verbessert haben. Sie haben in den letzten fünf Spielen die SP+-Prognosen um durchschnittlich 13,9 Punkte übertroffen.

Halbfinalisten vs. SP+-Prognosen (PPG)

TEAM 1. 4-5 GMS NÄCHSTE 4 GMS LETZTE 5 GMS
SDSU +1.1 +8,4 +13.9
Montana St. -6.2 +0,6 +9,0
NDSU -1,8 +10,0 +4,9
South Dakota +6,2 +7,0 +2,8

Nachdem Jimmy Rogers‘ SDSU-Kader im Jahr 2023 so viele herausragende Spieler aus einem großartigen Team aller Zeiten verloren hatte, brauchte er eine Weile, um den fünften Gang zu finden, aber wenn der 55:14-Sieg der letzten Woche gegen Incarnate Word ein Hinweis darauf ist, dann haben sie es getan habe es gefunden. Jeder dieser vier Halbfinalisten ist derzeit in guter Form, aber SDSU und MSU haben in letzter Zeit die Prognosen am meisten übertroffen.

Letzte Woche

Unsere vier Halbfinalisten gewannen ihre Viertelfinalspiele mit einem Durchschnitt von 43-15. Tatsächlich führten sie insgesamt 136,2 der 240 Minuten ihrer Spiele zweistellig. Lediglich South Dakota hatte in der zweiten Halbzeit irgendeine Art von Angst, und zwar gegen das fünftbeste Team des FCS, UC Davis.

Montana State stand gegen Ende des zweiten Viertels bei einem Rückkampf am Freitagabend gegen Idaho 10:10 unentschieden. Aber die Bobcats fanden mit einem 28:0-Lauf über etwa neun Minuten schnell ihren Knockout-Schlag und kamen auf 52:19. Quarterback Tommy Mellott warf 18 Pässe für 174 Yards, stürmte 14 Mal für 131 Yards und erzielte insgesamt drei Touchdowns. Adam Jones erledigte unterdessen die Drecksarbeit zwischen den Tackles und stürmte 23 Mal für 95 Yards und vier Punkte. Die MSU-Verteidigung wurde von einer starken Offensive aus Idaho 407 Yards lang getroffen, aber drei Sacks und zwei Takeaways trugen dazu bei, dass das Spiel zu einem Knaller wurde.

Tipps des Herausgebers

1 Verwandte

SDSU landete den Knockout-Schlag sogar noch schneller. Zwei 35-Yard-Touchdown-Pässe von Mark Gronowski auf Griffin Wilde brachten die Jackrabbits zu Beginn des zweiten Viertels mit 14:0 in Führung, und Incarnate Word kam nie näher. Ein 59-Yard-Pass von Gronowski auf David Alpers sorgte zu Beginn der zweiten Halbzeit für 38:0, bevor UIW endlich auf dem Spielfeld stand. Die Jacks entließen Zach Calzada dreimal und holten ihn einmal aus, und das Trio aus Amar Johnson, Kirby Vorhees und Chase Mason stürmte 29 Mal für 235 Yards.

Sowohl NDSU als auch South Dakota mussten gegen Mercer bzw. UC Davis etwas länger arbeiten. Cam Miller und Bryce Lance verbanden sich mit zwei Touchdown-Pässen und brachten NDSU nach nur fünf Minuten mit 14:0 in Führung, aber die Bison führten nur mit 17, bis ein später Touchdown von Barika Kpeenu den Endstand mit 31:7 herstellte. South Dakota hatte unterdessen die meiste Zeit in Führung, behielt jedoch Mitte des vierten Viertels nur einen Vorsprung von 28:21, bevor es mit einem TD-Drive über sieben Spiele und 75 Yards einen 35:21-Sieg sicherte.

Offensive SP+-Rangliste: NDSU Zweiter, SDSU Dritter

Auswahl der ersten Mannschaft aller Konferenzen (Angriff): SDSU – RB Amar Johnson (5-Fuß-10, 200 Pfund, Sr.), RG Evan Beerntsen (6-Fuß-4, 300 Pfund, Sr.), C Gus Miller (6-Fuß-3, 295 Pfund, Sr.), APB Angel Johnson (5-Fuß-9, 195 Pfund, Jr.); NDSU – QB Cam Miller (6-Fuß-1, 212 Pfund, Sr., MVFC-Offensivspieler des Jahres), WR Bryce Lance (6-Fuß-3, 204 Pfund, Jr.), RT Mason Miller ( 6-Fuß-7, 305 Pfund, Senior), LT Gray Zabel (6-Fuß-6, 305 Pfund, Senior)

Defensive SP+-Rangliste: SDSU an erster Stelle, NDSU an sechster Stelle

Auswahl der ersten Mannschaft aller Konferenzen (Verteidigung): SDSU – DT Jarod DePriest (6-Fuß-5, 285 lbs., Sr.), LB Adam Bock (6-Fuß-1, 225 lbs., Sr.), LB/NB Caleb Francl (6-Fuß-1, 195 Pfund, Sr.), CB Dalys Beanum (6-Fuß-1, 200 lbs., Sr.), FS Tucker Large (5-Fuß-11, 185 lbs., Jr.); NDSU – DT Eli Mostaert (6-Fuß-3, 289 Pfund, Sr.), LB Logan Kopp (6-Fuß-1, 220 Pfund, Jr.)

North Dakota State hat fast fünf Kalenderjahre lang seinen Rivalen Dakota Marker nicht geschlagen. Die Bison verloren fünf Mal in Folge gegen die Jacks, darunter eine 45:21-Niederlage im nationalen Titelspiel 2022, aber am 19. Oktober holten sie schließlich mit einem 13:9-Sieg einen Ausgleich. Cam Miller und RaJa Nelson erzielten 18 Touchdown-Pässe und 20 Yards, wobei der zweite Durchgang nur noch 1:49 Minuten vor dem Ende der regulären Spielzeit erfolgte. SDSU hatte leichte Vorteile in Bezug auf Yardzahl (333-275) und Yards pro Spielzug (5,0-4,7), aber vier Trips innerhalb der 40 von NDSU führten nur zu einem Touchdown, und eine späte Interception von Logan Kopp besiegelte den Bison-Sieg.

Es war ein schönes Bestätigungsspiel für NDSU, und die Bison zeigten in ihren sechs Spielen seitdem weiterhin viel Aufwärtspotenzial. Sie haben in allen sechs dieser Spiele mindestens 28 Punkte erzielt (und viermal mindestens 42), und viermal konnten sie ihre Gegner auf 21 oder weniger Punkte halten. Allerdings gab es in letzter Zeit Hinweise auf eine Verwundbarkeit. Sie unterlagen am Ende der regulären Saison in South Dakota mit 29:28 – was natürlich keine Schande ist – und ließen bei einem Zweitrundensieg gegen Abilene Christian 31 Punkte zu. Gegen Mercer gerieten sie nie in Gefahr, erlitten aber so viele negative Spielzüge, dass sie das Spiel für eine Weile nicht vollständig in den Garbage-Time-Modus bringen konnten.

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Das alles wäre kein großer Grund zur Sorge – oh nein, sie haben Playoff-Spiele nur mit 20 bzw. 24 Punkten Vorsprung gewonnen! – wenn der Bison nicht den absoluten Moloch spielen würde. Nach der Niederlage gegen NDSU holte sich SDSU einen Overtime-Sieg gegen South Dakota und gab dann Gas. Sie haben ihre letzten sechs Spiele mit einem Durchschnitt von 44-11 gewonnen, wobei Gronowski 59 % seiner Pässe bei 17,7 Yards pro Abschluss mit 11 Touchdowns und nur einer Interception absolvierte. Unterdessen hat Amar Johnson in diesem Zeitraum durchschnittlich 7,5 Yards pro Carry mit sechs Touchdowns erzielt, während Receiver Griffin Wilde 22 Pässe für 521 Yards und sechs Scores gefangen hat. Nr. 2 RB Angel Johnson, einer der besseren Kickoff-Returner des FCS, verpasste letzte Woche verletzungsbedingt, und die Jacks ließen keinen Schlag aus. Sie hatten eine schwierigere Playoff-Auslosung als NDSU, schlugen Montana und UIW aber dennoch mit insgesamt 90-32.

Gegen NDSU schafften Amar und Angel Johnson beim ersten Mal nur 58 Yards in 18 Läufen, und Gronowski schaffte im Durchschnitt nur 6,9 Yards pro Abschluss. Jedes dieser Teams kann normalerweise damit rechnen, in fast jedem Spiel, das es spielt, die Line of Scrimmage zu dominieren, aber die Gewinne gegeneinander sind viel geringer. SDSU hatte einige Erfolge, als Gronowski den Ball behielt (13 Läufe, 77 Yards) und einen 66-Yard-Ausstoß vom Tempowechsel-Quarterback Chase Mason erzielte. Aber trotz der verbesserten Form von SDSU kann man davon ausgehen, dass dieses Spiel, wie auch das erste Aufeinandertreffen der Teams im Jahr 2024, eher von Explosionen der guten und schlechten Art geprägt sein wird und nicht von einer stetigen Dominanz in den Schützengräben.

ESPN BET-Prognose: SDSU 24,0, NDSU 22,5 (SDSU -1,5, über/unter 46,5) SP+-Prognose: SDSU 24,9, NDSU 24,6

Offensive SP+-Rangliste: MSU an erster Stelle, USD an vierter Stelle

Auswahl der ersten Mannschaft aller Konferenzen (Angriff): USD – RB Charles Pierre Jr. (5 Fuß 10, 205 Pfund, So.), FB Travis Theis (5 Fuß 11, 215 Pfund, Sr.) , TE JJ Galbreath (6-Fuß-4, 240 Pfund, Sr.), C Joey Lombard (6-Fuß-5, 305 Pfund, Sr.); MSU – QB Tommy Mellott (6-Fuß-0, 208 Pfund, Sr.), RB Scottre Humphrey (5-Fuß-11, 210 Pfund, So.), FB Rohan Jones (6-Fuß-3, 235 Pfund ., Jr.), RG Marcus Wehr (6-Fuß-4, 300 Pfund, Sr.), LT Conner Moore (6-Fuß-5, 310 lbs., So.), PR Taco Dowler (5-Fuß-9, 175 lbs., So.)

Defensive SP+-Rangliste: MSU Zweiter, USD Fünfter

Auswahl der ersten Mannschaft aller Konferenzen (Verteidigung): USD – Edge Mi'Quise Grace (6-Fuß-4, 255 lbs., So., MVFC-Defensivspieler des Jahres), DE Nick Gaes (6-Fuß-4, 275 lbs., Sr.), S Dennis Shorter (5-Fuß-10, 195 lbs., Sr.); MSU – Edge Brody Grebe (6-Fuß-3, 250 Pfund, Sr.), LB McCade O'Reilly (6-Fuß-0, 220 Pfund, Sr.), SS Rylan Ortt (6-Fuß-1, 210 Pfund, Sr.)

NDSU und SDSU treffen im ersten Halbfinale zum 118. Mal aufeinander; Montana State und South Dakota treffen in der zweiten Runde erst zum dritten Mal aufeinander. MSU gewann beide Enden einer Heim-gegen-Heim-Serie in der Saison 2008/09, South Dakotas ersten beiden Saisons im FCS, und das war’s.

Es war ein langsamer Wachstumsprozess für USD: Die Yotes erzielten in ihren ersten sieben FCS-Saisons eine Bilanz von 28-50, bevor Bob Nielson das Amt übernahm, und während der zweifache Division-II-Siegertrainer sie in seiner zweiten Saison (2017) in die Playoffs brachte. Es gab Höhen und Tiefen, und er startete 2023 mit insgesamt nur 32-42. Seine Verteidigung war mit Koordinator Travis Johansen ausgestattet, aber als er 2023 Offensivkoordinator Josh Davis von SDSU abholte, sah er sofort Erfolg.

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Davis übernahm eine Offensive, die durchschnittlich 16,0 Punkte pro Spiel erzielte und diese auf 24,0 im Jahr 2023 und 37,2 im Jahr 2024 verbesserte. Charles Pierre Jr. und Travis Theis haben zusammen 2.249 Rushing Yards und 33 TDs erzielt, und Aidan Bouman vollendet 69 % seiner Pässe bei 14,0 Yards pro Abschluss. Auf der defensiven Seite lassen die Coyotes 16,6 Punkte pro Spiel zu, was zum Teil dem besten Defensivspieler des Missouri Valley, dem Breakout-Star Mi'Quise Grace, zu verdanken ist. Grace hat in seinen letzten sieben Spielen 12,5 Tackles verloren und einige seiner besten Leistungen für die größten Gegner aufgehoben: Gegen Wisconsin, SDSU und NDSU hatte er 17 Tackles, 6 TFLs und 4 Sacks. Das ist ein eher schwächenfreies Team. Sie haben sogar drei Return-Ergebnisse von Spezialteams erzielt.

South Dakota besiegte NDSU knapp und verlor knapp gegen SDSU. Jetzt vervollständigen die Yotes den Satz, indem sie gegen das andere Spitzenteam spielen. Wir werden herausfinden, ob das Bobcat-Stadion eine Brücke zu weit ist. Montana State hat dort 34 seiner letzten 35 Spiele gewonnen und am vergangenen Freitag gegen Idaho erneut bewiesen, wie sehr es den Besuchern zu schaffen machen kann. Sie haben einen der einzigartigsten Quarterbacks, die Sie jemals sehen werden: In etwas mehr als drei kompletten Saisons in Bozeman (er spielte 2023 vor seiner Verletzung nur drei Spiele) hat Tommy Mellott mehr als 5.000 Yards geworfen und mehr als 3.000 Yards gelaufen. Er läuft, als ob er weit mehr als 208 Pfund wiegt, und er hat 70 % seiner Pässe für 2.430 Yards, 28 Touchdowns und nur 2 INTs absolviert. Und er hat in dieser Offensive so viel Hilfe bekommen, von den Backs Scottre Humphrey und Adam Jones (zusammen: 2.592 Yards aus dem Scrimmage und 29 Touchdowns) über ein Trio von Passfängern mit über 450 Yards bis hin zu einer ebenso großen Offensive Line bedeuten wie alle in FCS.

Die Offensive gibt der Verteidigung viel Spielraum für Fehler, ist aber selbst unerbittlich: 23 Spieler haben mindestens einen TFL (und drei mit mindestens 8,5) und zwei meisterhafte Pass-Rusher in Brody Grebe und Kenneth Eiden IV verzeichnet. Einschließlich Sacks als Passversuche erlauben die Bobcats 4,8 Yards pro Passversuch und 4,6 Yards pro Rush.

Cheftrainer Brent Vigen hat auf den Durchbruch gewartet, der im Jahr 2024 gekommen zu sein scheint. MSU war von Anfang bis Ende das beste Team im FCS. Aber mit Siegen über zwei Dakota-Teams abzuschließen, wird etwas annähernd Perfektion erfordern.

ESPN BET-Prognose: MSU 32,25, USD 24,25 (MSU -8, über/unter 56,5) SP+-Prognose: MSU 29,7, USD 21,2

Categories
Entertainment

Occasion Metropolis is closing all shops and shedding firm workers

Party City Lets Go Corporate Staff Severance Pay Close All Stores

Chile, it sounds like Friday (December 20th) was a HARD day Party town Headquarters after a bomb announcement. With the holidays just days away, CEO Barry Litwin laid off all of the company's employees without severance pay. Why? After 40 years as the largest party supply store in the United States, Party City is closing all of its stores.

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Here's why Party City is closing

According to CNN, Party City's CEO said in a devastating video call that the company was being “dissolved.” In particular, operations were stopped immediately. Along with the layoffs, CEO Litwin informed the company's employees that their benefits would expire if the company went out of business. The Chief HR Officer reportedly burst into tears while explaining this part.

Despite its “best efforts,” Litwin said, Party City was unable to overcome its financial problems. As a result, the company collapsed and was no longer viable. This reportedly happened as the company tried to combat inflation with higher prices. However, the higher prices reduced customer spending.

“It's really important that you know that we did everything possible to prevent this outcome,” Litwin said. “Unfortunately, it is necessary to begin the resolution process immediately.”

As mentioned, money was the PC's biggest problem. Litwin joined the company as CEO four months ago, and a month after the company filed for bankruptcy in January 2023, Party City had about $1.7 billion in debt, and about $1 billion of it were offset by the insolvency status. However, remaining debt of over $800 million weighed on its 2024 earnings.

Employees suspected problems after THE company took THESE steps

CNN suggested that employees were beginning to suspect something was brewing! Two weeks ago, Party City ordered its product development team to return home for safety reasons. The company had reportedly stopped payments to its suppliers abroad.

In addition, all company employees were ordered to go home on December 10th. The next day, Party City said in an email that employees would now have to give a day's notice to visit the office.

Ultimately, however, employees reportedly claim that PC left them in the dark about the company's financial situation. CEO Litwin addressed this in the video call. “We recognize that the flow of communication was not consistent with our usual approach to sensitive matters such as these.” said Litvin.

What’s next for store associates?

CEO Litwin told CNN that the bombshell message was the “most difficult” he has ever had to deliver.

However, company employees weren't the only ones silenced by the news on Friday. CNN reports that some store employees also received letters about the company's closure. Party City reportedly plans to close all stores and lay off these employees on February 28th. Between 2022 and August 2024, the company closed over 80 stores. However, before this announcement, it had managed to keep more than 800 stores open.

“While Party City believes these closures are in the best interest of the company, we regret having to take this step and thank you for your valued contributions and service to the company.” the letter supposedly says.

This week, another major retailer, Big Lots, announced it would also be closing over 900 stores.

RELATED: Hang It! Hoda Kotb Reveals She's Closing Her 'TODAY' Chapter in 2025 (VIDEO)

What do you think, roommates?

Categories
Health

Eli Lilly's weight reduction drug Zepbound is not in brief provide

FDA: Eli Lilly Zepbound and Mounjaro available again after shortages

An injection pen of Zepbound, Eli Lilly's weight loss drug, is on display in New York City on December 11, 2023.

Brendan McDermid | Reuters

The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that it contained the active ingredient Eli Lilly's The weight-loss drug Zepbound is no longer in short supply, a decision that will ultimately prevent drug pharmacies from producing cheaper, unbranded versions of the shot.

“The FDA has determined that the shortage of tirzepatide injection products, which first began in December 2022, has been resolved,” the agency said in a letter. “The FDA continues to monitor supply and demand for these products.”

The agency's decision, based on a comprehensive analysis, marks the end of a period in which certain pharmacies could manufacture, distribute or dispense unapproved versions of tirzepatide – the active ingredient in Zepbound – without facing consequences for related violations Deficiency status of the treatment meant.

Pharmacies that make compounded drugs must stop making compounded versions of tirzepatide in the next 60 to 90 days, depending on the type of facility, the agency said. The FDA said the transition period will give patients time to switch to the branded version.

That's a blow to some pharmacies, which say their copycat drugs help patients who don't have insurance coverage for Zepbound and can't afford the high price of around $1,000 a month. Zepbound and other weight-loss medications aren't covered by many insurance plans, but Eli Lilly's diabetes counterpart Mounjaro is.

It's the latest in a high-stakes dispute between Pharmaceuticals and the FDA over a shortage of tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Zepbound and Mounjaro. Eli Lilly has invested billions to expand its production capacity for tirzepatide as the company struggles to keep up with unprecedented demand.

A trade group representing compounding pharmacies – the Outsourcing Facilities Association – sued the FDA on October 8 over the agency's decision to remove tirzepatide from its official list of drug shortages just days earlier. The group claims the FDA acted without adequate notice and ignored evidence that a shortage of tirzepatide still exists. She also claimed that the FDA's action was a coup for Eli Lilly at the expense of patients.

Following the lawsuit, the FDA said it would reconsider removing tirzepatide from the shortage list. This allowed pharmacies to continue producing copycats while the agency reviewed its decision.

Compounded medications are customized alternatives to brand-name medications tailored to the needs of a specific patient. When a brand-name drug is in short supply, pharmacies that manufacture drugs can make copies of the drug if they meet certain requirements of federal law.

The Food and Drug Administration does not review the safety and effectiveness of compounded products, and the agency has urged consumers to take the approved brand-name GLP-1 medications when they become available.

However, according to its website, the FDA inspects some outsourcing facilities that make drugs.

More CNBC Health coverage

Patients are turning to compounded versions of tirzepatide because of intermittent shortages of the brand-name drugs in the U.S., which come with high prices of $1,000 a month without insurance and other discounts. Many health insurance companies do not cover the cost of tirzepatide for weight loss, making compounded versions a cheaper alternative.

The active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic, semaglutide, has experienced temporary shortages over the past two years. But the FDA said earlier this month that all doses of those drugs are now available.

The agency has not yet announced whether it will remove semaglutide from its shortage list – a decision that would likely affect even more drug pharmacies because it is used more commonly than tirzepatide.

Wegovy, Ozempic, Zepbound and Mounjaro are under patent protection in the United States and abroad, and Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly do not supply the active ingredients of their drugs to outside groups. The companies say this raises questions about what some manufacturers are selling and marketing to consumers.

Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have both stepped up to crack down on illegal versions of their treatments, suing weight-loss clinics, medical spas and prescription pharmacies in the US last year. The FDA also said last month that it had received reports of patients overdosing on compound semaglutide due to dosing errors, such as patients self-administering incorrect amounts of treatment.

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Categories
Technology

German startup behind electrical “Microliner” lands on runway price 14 million euros

This startup's Microliner promises a cheaper route to electric flights

The Munich startup Vaeridion has secured 14 million euros to develop an electric aircraft that will carry passengers on short routes across Europe by 2030.

“The microliner looks like a normal airplane and takes off from a runway – the only difference is that it runs on batteries,” Vaeridion co-founder and CEO Ivor van Dartel told TNW an interview last month. “For operators and passengers, the experience will be essentially the same.”

Climate technology VC based in Berlin World Fund led the Series A investment with participation from Project A Ventures, Vsquared Ventures, Schwarz Holding, InnovationQuarter and angel investor Andreas Kupke.

“Our new funding will significantly accelerate development efforts and pave the way for the launch of certification-compliant prototype flights in 2027, followed by a first commercial flight in 2030,” Van Dartel said.

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The news comes just a month after Vaeridion became the first general aviation manufacturer to enter into a pre-application agreement (PAC) with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), marking a major step towards commercial flights.

Vaeridion's technical manager, Markus Kochs Kämper, called it “a huge milestone” in the development of its Microliner. “This initiative allows us to de-risk our core technology and path to certification of our electric aircraft before submitting a type certificate application,” he told TNW at the time.

Van Dartel and Sebastian Seemann – both former Airbus and ZF engineers – founded Vaeridion in 2021. Their vision was to build an electric aircraft to replace jet aircraft on regional flights.

Preliminary tests put the Microliner's range at around 500 km, the company said. Accordingly, in 2022, almost a third of flights in the EU covered this distance or less Eurocontrol.

Vaeridion's design is similar to existing regional aircraft, which could reduce development and manufacturing costs compared to more experimental electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) models, which often require complicated propulsion systems and vertical lift capabilities.

The company has already won its first customers: the Dutch private jet operator ASL Group, the German business airline Aero-dienst and the Danish companies Copenhagen AirTaxi and Copenhagen Helicopter.

Aero-dienst and Vaeridion are also working together on the possible introduction of an electric rescue aircraft for the German ADAC, Europe's largest automobile club.

“Our partnerships and market-driven strategy reflect our commitment to not only decarbonize short-haul flights across Europe, but also to set a new standard for sustainable and energy-efficient aviation at a competitive price,” said Van Dartel.

Vaeridion estimates that a trip on the Microliner will cost between 150 and 300 euros. The aircraft will initially serve business passengers before expanding to private travel, the company said.

Categories
Science

Star-devouring black gap found by astronomers

Star-devouring black hole discovered by astronomers

A team of astronomers has discovered a surprisingly fast and bright burst of energy from a galaxy 500 million light-years away. The radiation burst peaked just after four days and then quickly subsided. The team identified the burst, conducted using the Catalina Real-Time Transient Survey and supporting observations from the Gran Telescopio Canarias, as the result of a small black hole devouring a star. The discovery offers an exciting insight into star evolution and a rare cosmic phenomenon.

Black holes are star corpses in which gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape. They form when massive stars near the end of their lives collapse under their own gravity, forming an infinitesimal point known as a singularity. The area of ​​space around the singularity is limited by the event horizon, the point beyond which nothing can escape. Despite the challenges of observing them, they can be discovered by observing the effects of their gravity on nearby objects such as gas clouds. There are still many mysteries surrounding black holes, which is why they remain an intense area of ​​research.

3D rendering of the accretion disk of a rapidly spinning black hole and a resulting black hole-propelled jet. Photo credit: Ore Gottlieb et al. (2024)

A team of astronomers led by Claudia Gutiérrez of Catalina's Space Sciences Institute and Space Studies Institute used data from the Catalina Real-Time Transient Survey (CRTS) to study transient events. Launched in 2004, the CRTS is a large-scale survey that searches for variable objects such as supernovae and asteroids. It uses a network of telescopes based in Arizona to scan large areas of the sky to detect short-lived events. It was of great use as it provided insights into the life cycle of stars and the behavior of distant galaxies.

The 60-inch Mt. Lemmon Telescope is one of three telescopes used in the Catalina Sky Survey. Image: Catalina Sky Survey, University of Arizona.

The team discovered the bright burst in a galaxy 500 million light-years away and published their findings in the Astrophysical Journal. The event occurred in a tiny galaxy about 400 times less massive than the Milky Way. The burst was identified as CSS161010, it reached maximum brightness in just 4 days and 2.5 days later the brightness was reduced by half. Subsequent work revealed that the previous discovery had been detected by the All-Sky Automated Survey for SuperNovae. Fortunately, the discovery occurred early enough to allow follow-up observations by other ground-based telescopes. Typically, these types of events are difficult to study due to their rapid evolution.

Only a handful of events like CSS161010 have been discovered in recent years, but their nature has remained a mystery. The team led by Gutiérrez analyzed the spectral properties and found hydrogen lines that reveal material moving at speeds up to 10% of the speed of light. The changes observed in the hydrogen emission lines are similar to those observed in active galactic nuclei where supermassive black holes exist. The observation suggests that it is a black hole, although not a massive one.

The object's brightness decreased 900-fold over the following two months. Further spectral analysis at this point still revealed blue-shifted hydrogen lines, indicating high-velocity gas outflows. This was not typically seen in supernova events, suggesting a different origin. The team believes the event is due to a small black hole swallowing a star.

Source: Astronomers have discovered an outburst caused by a black hole swallowing a star

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Categories
Technology

Honda and Nissan are reportedly in merger talks to compete with Tesla, the Chinese language EV rival

Honda and Nissan are reportedly in merger talks to compete with Tesla, the Chinese EV rival

Honda and Nissan, Japan's second and third largest automakers, are reportedly in merger talks to create a structure that would allow them to better withstand tough competition from Tesla and Chinese rivals in the electric vehicle (EV) space.

Nikkei news agency initially reported that the two companies were in merger talks to clarify how they could work more closely together in the technology sector. According to Reuters, the talks are aimed at establishing an umbrella holding company and not necessarily a merger of the two companies.

Mitsubishi, in which Nissan has a 24% stake, is also considered part of the partnership.

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What is certain is that the two automakers have intensified their collaboration in recent months to find a common strategy for dealing with the rapidly changing electric vehicle landscape.

Both Honda and Nissan have each issued a statement confirming this. “As announced in March of this year, Honda and Nissan are exploring various opportunities for future collaboration, leveraging each other's strengths,” the statement said.

Analysts say Honda's strengths in powertrain development, particularly for hybrids, could be combined with Nissan's experience in electric vehicles, dating back to the LEAF in 2010.

The focus of the two automakers' partnership is on electric vehicle technology, including components and software.

What began as an alliance to counter intense price competition from companies like China's BYD grew more intense over the year as the global auto industry also saw declining sales in Europe and the United States

Additionally, the industry now faces the potential reversal of pro-EV policy in the US as President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

The merger could also come under scrutiny from the Trump administration, which has taken an aggressive stance on imported vehicles, including threatening to impose high tariffs.

A merger of Honda and Nissan would create one of the largest automobile companies in the world with total sales of about 8 million.



Categories
Sport

Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs will begin in opposition to the Texans regardless of an ankle damage

Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs will start against the Texans despite an ankle injury

  • Adam Teicher, ESPN staff writerDecember 19, 2024, 2:23 p.m. ET

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    • Covered Chiefs for 20 seasons for Kansas City Star
    • Joined ESPN in 2013

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Quarterback Patrick Mahomes will start for the Kansas City Chiefs in Saturday's game against the Houston Texans at Arrowhead Stadium despite suffering a serious ankle injury last Sunday.

Mahomes has no injury status for the game.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid said earlier Thursday that Mahomes completed a full workout on Thursday, the Chiefs' final session of the week. He was also a full participant in Tuesday and Wednesday training.

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“He looked really good out there,” Reid said. “He moved pretty well.” So you always make sure you can get out of their way and prevent more damage from being done to them. So that's what I'm looking at.

“I've been through it with him before and every time he did it he amazed me. The guy was so mentally strong and just brings it into the mindset that he has.” [from] “Where he was a few days ago.”

When asked how Mahomes looked in practice this week, wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins responded, “As always.”

Mahomes suffered a severe ankle sprain in the fourth quarter of last Sunday's 21-7 win over the Cleveland Browns. He left the game and was replaced by Carson Wentz.

The Chiefs also ruled out left tackle DJ Humphries from Saturday's game. Humphries did not practice all week because he was unable to play in a game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 14 due to a hamstring injury. He didn't play in last week's win against the Cleveland Browns.

The Chiefs used Joe Thuney, normally their starting left tackle, at left tackle against the Browns. Before recently signing Humphries, the Chiefs had Wanya Morris or rookie Kingsley Suamataia at left tackle, but both players were on the bench at various times during games.

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Entertainment

John Lennon's son Julian opens up about his surgical procedure for a cancerous birthmark

John Lennon's son Julian opens up about his surgery for a cancerous birthmark

Julian Lennon shares an update on his health.

Almost five years after the only son of The Beatles Member John Lennon and his ex-wife Cynthia Lennon As he removed a cancerous mole from his head, he shared that he recently underwent emergency surgery to remove another cancerous mole.

“Before I flew from Los Angeles to New York, for example Good morning America“,Sirius a few years ago with my mole/skin cancer and literally saved my life…”

“I received a message from Dr. Tess with an urgent request to return to Los Angeles,” he continued, “as I had two spots on my skin, my shoulder and my forearm, including melanoma, that needed surgery as soon as possible.”

The 61-year-old, who appeared on talk shows earlier this month to chat about his new photo book, said he immediately returned to undergo the procedure.