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What Are Retinal Diseases?
Retinal diseases are diseases that impact the light-sensitive tissue located at the back side of the eye. Diseases may include diabetic retinopathy and retinal detachment. When the retina retracts from the blood vessels supplying oxygen, it results in a medical emergency known as retinal detachment. Diabetic retinopathy, just as the name suggests, refers to a diabetes-related complication that may damage the light-sensitive blood vessels that supply blood to the eye, particularly the back side. Both of these diseases may lead to blindness if left untreated.
Retinal Detachment: When a patient is diagnosed with retinal detachment, it requires immediate medical attention, usually including immediate surgery to preserve eyesight. This condition causes the retina to be retracted away from the tiny blood vessels (choroid) that supply the retina with nutrients and oxygen. It causes the retinal cells to experience oxygen deprivation, thereby increasing the risk of suffering permanent loss of vision. The longer these vessels remain separated from the retina, the more likely the patient is to experience permanent blindness. Highly near-sighted individuals are more likely to suffer from retinal detachment.
Diabetic Retinopathy: This diabetes-related complication is likely to be caused by damaged blood vessels that supply the retina with oxygen and nutrients. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients are at higher risk to develop this medical condition. In fact, the longer a person has diabetes, the more likely he or she will develop diabetic retinopathy. In the beginning, diabetic retinopathy often exhibits only mild vision issues or no symptoms at all but eventually results in total blindness most of the time. Early warning signs may include poor night vision, blurred vision, red film, floating spots, or dark streaks. A dilated eye examination can best diagnose this condition.
To test for diabetic retinopathy, the doctor puts drops inside the eyes to dilate the pupils to allow for a better view of what the inside of the eye looks like. These drops may cause blurring which will eventually disappear after several hours. Below are some of the things doctors look for when performing this exam:
- Abnormal blood vessels
- The growth of scar tissue/ new blood vessels
- Retinal detachment
- Fatty deposits and blood in the retina
- Swelling in the retina
- Bleeding in the vitreous
- Any abnormalities in the patient's optic nerve
Who Should Be Checked For Retinal Diseases?
Sometimes there are clear warning signs of retinal disease. If you are experiencing one or more of these symptoms, you should have an eye exam done immediately. Keep in mind that some of the items listed below may not necessarily be symptoms, but are considered risk factors:
- Sudden blurred vision
- The sudden appearance of shapes "floating" in front of your eyes
- A shadow covering your visual field
- One or both eyes experience sudden flashes of light
- High blood pressure
- Pregnancy
- Poor control of blood sugar levels
- Smoking
How To Test For Retinal Diseases
Doctors use specific procedures, with the help of specialized instruments, to diagnose retinal diseases, particularly retinal detachment. Some of the tests to help diagnose retinal disease include:
Wide-Field Retinal Imaging: The doctor utilizes a particular camera to view the back of the patient's eyes even if only one of them has a problem. If no tear is identified during the patient's visit, a return visit may be required to confirm that the patient's eye has no characteristics of a delayed tear due to vitreous separation.
Dilated Retinal Examination: To check the back of the patient's eye and retina, an ophthalmoscope and a special bright-light-emitting instrument is used. The doctor prefers the ophthalmoscope because it gives a comprehensive view to provide any particular details like retinal holes or detachments that may be a cause for alarm.
Optical Coherence Tomography: This imaging instrument is non-invasive and can be used to check eye problems even before the patient starts exhibiting any eye-related symptoms. OCT can also detect macular holes, hypertensive retinopathy, as well as optic nerve damage.


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Examining why I play the games I do sometimes yields surprising insight. It's become clear to me that many of the games I like...are kind of dating simulators, despite what the presentation or marketing might suggest. I don't think I'm supposed to admit that, though. To say something like that feels like losing legitimacy as a 'real gamer,' as if that idea even means anything. Worse: to say that seems so stereotypical, because I'm a woman. The genre seems harmless enough as an idea: they're just romance-driven games. Romance is a part of most people's lives, what's the big deal?
I've yet to meet anyone who says they play the Mass Effect franchise for the combat. Despite this, Bioware has focused on refining the combat enough that by Mass Effect 3, the franchise has a multiplayer mode that relies entirely on the action—and it's considered addictive. Even so, the acclaim for the third person role playing shooter still rests largely on the interpersonal relationships you foster with your crew mates. The combat being okay is just a bonus.
The only reason the fate of the galaxy matters is because of the people you've met along the way. Without the people, none of the politics, choices or consequences in Mass Effect mean a thing. Mass Effect 2 outright concedes this—the game revolves around the acquisition of your 'dirty dozen' team. The real danger isn't with the Collectors, or with the destruction of the galaxy, but rather with the possibility of losing those teammates in the suicide mission. This is also why the memorial wall in Mass Effect 3, which lists fallen comrades, carries weight with players. Mass Effect isn't about the choices, it's about people and your relationships with them.
So when fellow Kotaku writer Evan Narcisse states that you need the combat in Gameological's video series The Digest, I couldn't help but muse over the viability of a combat-less Mass Effect.
Plus, we have an overabundance of violence in games, but not nearly enough love
Something that would focus only on what makes the series so good: the characters and your relationships with them.
Sounds like—gasp!—a dating sim to me.
Actually, a lot of games could totally work as dating sims. The idea that games need combat in order to remain interesting doesn't sit well with me. I don't think it's true. Plus, we have an overabundance of violence in games, but not nearly enough love.
Here are a few examples of games that with some refocusing could function as dating sims, from titles with strong writing and characterization, to a few silly ones because why the heck not? Hey, if there is a dating sim about pigeons, I'm convinced there can be a dating sim about anything.
Some, like Mass Effect, would lend themselves well to it...
The possibilities for juicy drama here are endless. We can probably assume Bioware will use some of their usual tropes when it comes to pursueable characters: the difficult, cold but sexy one (Miranda, Morrigan), the meek, kind but bright one (Tali, Merrill), and so on.
Aside from that, to stereotype, each race has specific issues that can yield interesting results when explored in the context of intimacy. Quarians have to deal with being out of the suit, Asari tend to be overly sexualized, the way the Volus communicate is obtuse, for instance.
The special app released with Mass Effect 3, which sent players messages from the characters, could be put to good use here, too. Imagine composing text messages to your prospects, like you can in Catherine. If Bioware must include some sort of 'morality bar,' it should work like Dragon Age 2's friendship/rivalry bar—meaning, there's multiple ways to get to know someone, depending on your approach.
If there are toothbrushes with tiny mass effect fields, I wonder if there's lingerie with mass effect fields, too? There better be, because that's what I want to gift my lover on the night before the suicide mission.
Some, like Animal Crossing, would be amusing...
Domesticity and small-town life isn't complete without romance, and so I think Animal Crossing can become more of a dating sim. This is a franchise that could take on the dating sim genre in a whimsical way.
The absurdity of having the various critters available to the player can't be denied. Still, the possibility for endearing relationships are there, especially when you consider the bizarre but amazing dialogue found in the franchise.
Imagine explaining to your beau that you're late to your date because damn Rosetti wouldn't let you go. Or sending a saucy letter to the giraffe next door with the world's most cacophonous gyroid attached. Perhaps sharing the stresses of having Mr. Nook breathing down your neck for payment of your house with a significant other. Or throwing a bottle out at sea, with an earnest hope that that special someone will receive it and reciprocate your blindly-thrown longing.
I'd play that.
Some, like Persona...kind of already are one
Honestly, I already play this role-playing franchise as if it was a dating simulator. Persona brings out the worst in me, romantically. Since there's no penalty for pursuing every potential love interest, I kind of just...become a womanizer. I'm going to blame the 'gamer neurosis' of needing to experience everything in one go and not some latent Casanova nature in me, though. Yeah. Let's go with that.
Speaking seriously, like Mass Effect, much of what makes Persona so superb is in the characters.
The game as a whole is an exploration of intimacy, particularly so in Persona 4, which had players help characters through the most personal of insecurities and fears. Learning to play Persona effectively is to learn how to maximize your time outside of the dungeon, to spend as much time as possible with the people. Traversing through the dungeons feels like the unimportant after-school activity that it is when your calendar is a mess of dates with lovers and friends.
The school setting is perfect for the genre. There would be 22 characters, one for each of the major Arcanas, each equipped with a captivating personal narrative for players to discover. The part about shadows and deities can still stay, since the franchise wouldn't make sense without that element. Really though, in trying to describe how this would work it just becomes obvious that the game is already built like a dating simulator.
All I ask is that in a more 'romance-centered' Persona game, there be more options to destroy your friends when they get in the way of your dates.
And some, like Fallout, are getting made into them
I'm cheating, here. This game already exists—someone is working on it. Hailing from Tumblr, a place that is no stranger to the type of fan service that this game caters to, is the Fallout New Vegas dating sim.
So far it looks as if the pursuable characters include Butch DeLoria (the only Fallout 3 character), FISTO, Cass, Oliver Swanick, Veronica, Joshua Graham and Vulpes Inculta. Not the characters I'd think of first (I wanna date Moira, from Fallout 3!), but it's a rich and diverse cast.
Alexis—the 19 year old developer behind the title—is taking a lot of fun liberties with the characters she's borrowing from the franchise. This is evident from the hilarious character animations:
(Oh my god FISTO, what are those STAINS?)
To the writing:
(Click to enlarge for animation)
Also included: a tsundere character, Ouran references, Hellboy references, and a karma system. And yes—Butch DeLoria delivers his infamous 'Tunnel Snakes Rule!' line.
The game's Tumblr states that the game will come out relatively soon. As proof of concept, it works wonderfully to prove that games you might not expect as dating sims could still work under that genre—with the right approach.
The list goes on. Metal Gear Solid could be a hell of a soap opera dating sim, complete with overwrought dialogue and labyrinth-like plotlines. Well, if confusing as heck plotline is what we're looking for, then perhaps Kingdom Hearts could be a better choice. God knows what's going in in THAT franchise, but it's dramatic enough that it would fit just fine. Saints Row could have players recreate a Romeo and Juliet-type romance, with rival gangs fighting to keep you and your lover apart. Really, there's a ton of games that could work as dating sims.
Granted, getting people to brave the stigma of playing the genre that is widely taken as the epitome of uncomfortable nerd wish fulfillment might be difficult. At the same time, many popular franchises—like Mass Effect and Persona—are good because of the near-dating sim elements they posses. I think we collectively like to pretend otherwise, though—thinking of some games as 'dating simulators' seems kind of shameful. It shouldn't.
We definitely don't need combat to make a game worthwhile; sometimes that's the least interesting aspect of a game.
And sometimes, it would just be funny to make a game that's not meant to be romantic, be romantic.

subset: commoncrawl


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For all press and media enquiries please contact Jon Flinn on 07811 397122 or email [email protected]
Full statement provided to the Telegraph
At ABRSM it's our mission to inspire musical achievement. We do everything we can to support students' progression and success in music, whatever their needs and musical destinations. We believe that learning music theory gives students the tools they need to get the most from their musical activities. Our commitment to the teaching and learning of core musical skills, knowledge, and understanding is unwavering. And we back this up by continuously developing new print and digital resources supporting the varied needs of students and teachers. We also have a longstanding requirement that candidates must pass Grade 5 (or above) in Music Theory, Jazz or Practical Musicianship before they can enter for a practical exam at Grade 6, 7 or 8. As part of our responsibility to teachers and students, we review and refresh all our assessments on an on-going basis. To do this we consult with customers and education experts, including teaching staff from our Royal Schools of Music partners. The revised exam papers are based on our existing Music Theory syllabus and will continue to assess the same broad areas of music theory. Although we've made some small changes to the papers, the underlying knowledge you need remains the same. Our panel of expert Theory Examiners will continue to mark all our exam papers to the same rigorous standards as now. When making these changes, we took into account best practice in assessment and question design. As a result we've introduced Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) for one element of the exam. MCQs are an accessible, reliable and proven way of assessing certain aspects of knowledge. They are an existing and accepted element of school exams and the vast majority of candidates will be familiar with them. 11 August 2017 Further information:
- Improving our Music Theory exams blog post
- Sample papers for Grades 1 to 5 (2 sets) to view, download and print
- Multiple choice quiz for musical terms and signs
- To find out more about the changes, please visit www.abrsm.org/theory2018


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Pediatric researchers are finding that crucial differences in how the same gene is mutated may call for different treatments. They are investigating the biology of brain tumors in children. A new study offers glimpses into how scientists will be using the ongoing flood of gene-sequencing data to customize treatments based on very specific mutations in a child's tumor.
"By better understanding the basic biology of these tumors, such as how particular mutations in the same gene may respond differently to targeted drugs, we are moving closer to personalized medicine for children with cancer," said the study's first author, Angela J. Sievert, M.D., M.P.H., an oncologist in the Cancer Center at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Sievert, working with co-first author Shih-Shan Lang, M.D., in the translational laboratory of neurosurgeon Phillip Storm, M.D., and Adam Resnick, Ph.D., published a study ahead of print today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The current study focuses on mutations in the BRAF gene, one of the most commonly mutated genes in human cancers. Because the same gene is also mutated in certain adult cancers, such as melanoma, the pediatric researchers were able to make use of recently developed drugs, BRAF inhibitors, which were already being tested with some success against melanoma in adults.
The current study provides another example of the complexity of cancer: in the same gene, different mutations behave differently. Sievert and her colleagues at Children's Hospital were among several research groups who reported almost simultaneously in 2008 and 2009 that mutations in the BRAF gene were highly prevalent in astrocytomas in children. "These were landmark discoveries, because they suggested that if we could block the action of that mutation, we could develop a new, more effective treatment for these tumors," said Sievert.
However, follow-up studies in animal models were initially disappointing. BRAF inhibitors that were effective in BRAF-driven adult melanomas made brain tumors worsevia an effect called paradoxical activation.
Further investigation revealed how tumor behavior depended on which type of BRAF mutation was involved. The first-generation drug that was effective in adult melanoma acted against point mutations in BRAF called V600E alterations. However, in most astrocytomas the mutation in the BRAF gene was different; it produced a fusion gene, designated KIAA1549-BRAF. When used against the fusion gene, the first-generation drug activated a cancer-driving biological pathway, the MAPK signaling cascade, and accelerated tumor growth.
By examining the molecular mechanisms behind drug resistance and working with the pharmaceutical industry, the current study's investigators identified a new, experimental second-generation BRAF inhibitor that disrupted the cancer-promoting signals from the fusion gene, and did not cause the paradoxical activation in the cell cultures and animal models.
This preclinical work result lays a foundation for multicenter clinical trials to test the mutation-specific targeting of tumors by this class of drugs in children with astrocytomas, said Sievert. As this effort progresses, it will benefit from CHOP's commitment to resources and collaborations that support data-intense research efforts.
The direction of brain tumor research over the past several years reflects some of those data-driven advances, says Adam C. Resnick, Ph.D., the senior author of the current paper and principal investigator of the astrocytoma research team in the Division of Neurosurgery at Children's Hospital. "For years, astrocytomas have been lumped together based on similar appearance to pathologists studying their structure, cell shape and other factors," said Resnick. "But our current discoveries show that the genetic and molecular structure of tumors provides more specific information in guiding oncologists toward customized treatments."
Earlier this year, Children's Hospital announced its collaboration with the gene-sequencing organization BGI-Shenzhen in performing next-generation sequencing of pediatric brain tumors at the Joint Genome Center, BGI@CHOP. The center's sophisticated, high-throughput sequencing technology will greatly speed the discovery of specific gene alterations involved in childhood brain cancers.
This genomic discovery program dovetails with the work of the Childhood Brain Tumor Tissue Consortium, a multi-institutional collaboration recently launched by CHOP, with support from the Children's Brain Tissue Foundation. Because even large research centers may not hold enough tumor tissue specimens to power certain research, the consortium pools samples from a group of institutions, providing an important scientific resource for cooperative studies.
"The better we understand the mutational landscape of tumors, the closer we'll be to defining therapies tailored to a patient's specific subtype of cancer," added Resnick.
Source: Eurekalert


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Two-pocket wallet,
$40 by General Manufacturing
Quick-access card sleeve,
$55 by Bellroy
Folding waxwear card case,
$75 by Jack Spade
Money-clip cardholder,
$78 by Tumi
Summer is a time for trim shorts and lightweight cotton pants. It's not a time for sweaty asses or losing your wallet because you have to take it out of your pocket every time you sit down. If a big brick-like billfold is weighing you down, consider the cardholder. A svelte alternative to your current pocket hog, it will streamline your life—not to mention your pants pocket. After all, those faded receipts and out-of-date loyalty cards weren't doing much for you anyway.
Three-slot card wallet,
$52 by Corter
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Most of my house has wood paneling instead of drywall. I want to fill in the grooves to give my walls a smooth look (drywalling the house is not in the budget). Based on the recommendation of a book, I've tried using spackle. The problem is it shrinks too much and then cracks later, plus sanding creates a ton of dust.
Is there another product I can try that would work better than spackle?


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Sufism (Tasawwuf) is the esoteric teaching of Islam. We are living in the 21st Century, the age of instant communication, social media and YouTube and so would hope by now that Sufism does not require too much explanation.Read more
The seriousness of the teaching of Sufism and the endeavour to acquire the sweet nectar from the hives of our own selves requires learning and practicing. It is most important to collect books that relate to this teaching so that the psyche will obtain fresh and new realisations to balance the self.Visit
"Do not blame your parents, or your personality, or your society, or your geographical location in this world, or your so called 'karma', or anybody else for what you are. The Merciful Allah (God) gave every man and woman the chance to undo what has been done through genuine exercise of determination; to have access to the ultimate realisation of the Truth within yourself. Determined will is Allah's gift to you - when you tune your will to the will of Allah. In a nutshell - when you learn the art of surrendering your will to Allah. So, now is the time to decide, my dear brothers and sisters, about your purpose in this life. Are you going to be part of the problem? Or part of the solution to the crisis of this beautiful earth that the Beloved Allah has entrusted us with?"
Murshid F. A. Ali ElSenossi
Word of the day: Crow or Raven (al-ghurab)
Meaning: (Ghurab) represents the Universal Body, the materiality of the entire creation, which is at the furthest distance from the Sacred Realm and is therefore dominated by darkness.
Explore the Qamus
The origins of the lata'if reflect the origins of the universe as a whole'. First there was the Spiritual World ('alam al-amr), otherwise known as the Universe of Command, then came the Universe of creation ('alam al-khalq). Then Allah created the human being and endowed this creation with ten lata'if capable of apprehending both universes. Five of these lata'if are located below the Divine Throne (al-'arsh) in the Universe of creation ('alam al-khalq), these being air, fire, water, earth, and the nafs. The other five lata'if belong to Universe of Command ('alam al-amr), located above the Divine Throne (al-'arsh).Continue Reading
Compared to other species human beings are unique in every way. Biologically humans are more complex than any other life form, but when our metaphysical essence, spiritual and psychological sides are taken into consideration, we may be the most mysterious of all beings in the universe. In comparison to the size of the universe, we are like an atom. However, spiritually we are larger than the universe. The thoughts of a single, conscious human being could affect a powerful impact on the whole universe. When satisfaction or the pleasure of life is the matter being considered, unfortunately we are no match even to a sparrow. Compared to humans, this little bird receives many times more satisfaction out of life. For example, it does not need to work, buy a house, get married, pay bills, save or worry about its future. Finally, the most important of them all is that the animal has no concept of death. Human beings on the other hand, constantly struggle throughout life, not only physically but also spiritually, psychologically and emotionally. They are under continuous pressure. We regularly make plans that result in disappointment. We are always concerned about our loved ones, relatives, society and, to a certain degree the rest of humanity. According to research, the average human life span is 70 years. Read Full Article


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