Boy’s Dragon T-shirts Raise Money for Autism

Santino Stagliano from Philadelphia is only 10 years old and already owns a global non-profit business. So, what's his story? Santino has autism, diagnosed at the age of five, and for years he found socialising and loud environments difficult to deal with. He wasn't very verbal and he wasn't one for hugs. Back in April, Santino hadn't had a good day. To help cheer him up, his parents gave him a plain white T-shirt and some markers and told him to draw his favourite creature, a dragon. Santino found the most effective way of expressing his own emotions is to draw dragons with those feelings, so he draws a lot of the mythical beasts. After finishing his drawing, his mum Lisa took a photo of him wearing it and posted the picture on Facebook. Lots of people saw and liked the post, and started requesting T-shirts of their own. It started off as a small project, creating a few shirts here and there, but soon global interested picked up and 'Santino's Dragon Drawings' was born. When the little boy saw all of the requests for his dragon shirts, he felt the world finally understood him - and that's when his transformation began. "He has come alive and I no longer as a mother have to guess what he is feeling or thinking," said Lisa. "He is expressing it! For any autistic parents, that is a miracle." Santino's Dragon Drawings has orders numbering in the thousands, and with each T-shirt selling for $15 (£9), the project is seriously making an impact. Some of the proceeds go to Philadelphia's Center for Autism, where Santino spends one day a week, and his first donation to the centre was for a whopping $2,500 (£1,900)! "It is just tremendous to see him doing so well," said centre CEO David Maola. "It was his idea to donate the money, which is amazing." So, selling the shirts is not only helping Santino's outlook on life become more positive, but it is also helping other children with autism. Santino's dad Mario said that they would do anything they could to help other children with autism and their families and that the amount of support the project has received has been overwhelming. And Santino's work - though he doesn't see it as such - has been recognised by the Philadelphia city council which awarded him with an honour in May. "Through the whole thing, we see miracles," said Lisa. "In a little boy who did not like clouds, people, and empathy, something started to change." Why not visit the company's Facebook page to learn more about Santino and his dragon drawings. Alternatively, if you'd like to buy one of the T-shirts (hats are also available), you can do so online, here.

UPDATE: Devon Beavers are Breeding!

Back in February, we told you the great news of the Devon beavers being allowed to stay on the River Otter. It isn't known for sure how they came to be there, but being allowed to stay came with the condition that they would be tested for diseases and have an eye kept on them. And it’s a good thing, too, because one of the females has recently given birth to some of the first wild beaver kits in hundreds of years! Beavers are what is known as a keystone species. This means that they affect the environment in a way that is either unique or crucial to how the surrounding ecosystem functions. As you might know, beavers create huge and sophisticated dams, made from the trees they fell, which dramatically impacts the local environment. The dams they build hold huge amounts of water which they then use to get to their foraging areas. As we said, one of the conditions of the beavers being allowed to stay was that they were tested for diseases. When they were brought in, two of the females were found to be pregnant. The other female is not thought to have had her babies yet, but excitement levels are high! The first evidence of the beaver babies came from local filmmaker Tom Buckley, who happened to catch the kits having a swimming lesson from their mother. “When I saw these newborn beavers, I was totally overwhelmed and I thought it was a miracle,” Mr Buckley said. The DWT - Devon Wildlife Trust - is slowly expanding the beaver reintroduction programme in the hope that it provides more insight into the beavers’ effect on the River Otter and surrounding areas. DWT Publications Manager Steve Hussey explained that there are no plans as of yet to tag the beavers, so they don’t get disturbed. He added that if the beavers were to be tagged, it would only be for identification purposes, but they’re healthy, breeding beavers so there shouldn’t be anything to worry about. One thing the DWT is worried about, though, is the beavers being disturbed, so visitors are urged to keep their distance. “Like all new parents, the beavers will need a bit of space and peace at this time,” explained Mark Elliott, one of the project managers for DWT. All in all, though, everyone is thrilled at the breeding. “The baby kits appear fit and healthy and the adults seem as if they are taking their parenting responsibilities very seriously,” concluded Mr Elliott. “It tells us the beavers are very much at home in this corner of Devon.” If you want to see the little kits having their first swimming lesson, watch Tom Buckley's video below! [video width="600" height="275" id="qqbvI_3HXaQ" type="youtube"]

Chlamydia Vaccine in Sight

Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the world. While treatable with antibiotics once diagnosed, a person with Chlamydia might not experience symptoms for months or years - if ever. Of course, if it isn’t treated, Chlamydia can cause a huge range of problems: infertility, ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the womb), and even blindness. But most people don’t even know they have contracted Chlamydia until they are tested for it. Because of the lack of symptoms and therefore often late diagnoses, scientists have spent the last 50 or so years working on making a vaccine for Chlamydia. However, experiments had yet to yield the results they’d been hoping for. But a team from Harvard Medical School have been working on those original experiments, developed a vaccine and carried out studies, and now they believe they have the solution! The team found that mice injected with Chlamydia killed with UV light (ultra-violet) were more likely to contract the infection than those injected with the live bacteria. What this experiment showed was that a specific type of white blood cell called T lymphocytes were responsive to the Chlamydia bacteria. Professor Ulrich von Andrian, an immunologist from Harvard who led the study, explained that when these T-cells are stimulated by the Chlamydia, they make what he calls “different career decisions”. The team thought that by mixing the killed Chlamydia with adjuvants - substances that boost the immune response - it would encourage the T-cells to fight the infection. But there was no change in how the T-cells reacted. That’s when the scientists decided to incorporate nanoparticles into the experiment. They found that with the nanoparticles attached, the adjuvants stuck to the vaccine better and ultimately protected the mice from infection. The vaccine only worked when the UV light was combined with nanoparticles, though. Otherwise, the mice were still susceptible to infection. “We thought, perhaps we can exploit the fact that this killed Chlamydia is actually seen by the immune system," explained Professor Andrian. "Attach a message to this killed Chlamydia, such that the response becomes the desired one.” Professor von Andrian said that mice who were given this new and improved vaccine were able to eliminate Chlamydia even faster than those who were given the live STD and developed a natural immunity to it. The latest studies have been published in Science and are proof of just how close we are to a vaccine that could save the world from its most common STD.

Brave Boys Rescue Babies from Burning Building

Imagine you are casually sat on your sofa, playing computer games or watching videos on YouTube when you smell smoke. Glancing out of your window, you see your neighbour's house is on fire. What do you do? Two boys from Oakland in Florida were chilling out at the start of their summer holidays when they smelled something odd. Jeremiah Grimes, 11, and 10-year-old Isiah Francis rushed to the window to try and find the source of the smell. Smoke was streaming out of a nearby house! Without thinking twice about it, the boys put on their shoes and ran outside. There they encountered the neighbour who lives in the house - a man they called "the step-dad" - who was trying to find water to put out the flames. The frantic neighbour told the boys that there were two very young children stuck in the kitchen. This is where the boys' stories vary slightly, though the result is the same. According to Jeremiah, he followed Isiah into the kitchen. "It was really dark and smoky," he described. "All you could see was orange and black." He said they each picked up one of the children - a one-year-old and a baby of only eight months - and retreated out of the house as quickly as they could. Isiah said that he went into the kitchen while Jeremiah stood in the doorway guiding him as he couldn't see through the thick smoke. He scooped up both of the children, gave the youngest to his friend, and together they brought the children out of danger. "It was really smoky," Isiah remembers. "I could kind of see, but I had to use my sense of touch." The boys took the younger children back to Isiah's house, just a short walk away. They called the emergency services, like they had been trained to do at school, and gave water to the rescued kids while they waited for help to arrive. Shortly after the firefighters arrived, two more children were pulled from the home. They went to hospital, and both were in a stable condition. Jeremiah's mum, Stef, said the boys had done something that an adult would have thought twice about doing. "They were very heroic," she said. But the boys deny there was any heroism involved, and that they were only working on instinct. Their training at school had helped the boys know to call 911 in the event of a fire and what information to give the firefighters. Orange Country Fire Rescue Department Fire Chief Otto Drozd III also praised the boys for their bravery. "Although we never advise entering a building on fire," he said, "we must recognise the courage it took for those kids to risk their own lives to save the lives of others."

The Adventures of Hobbes the Toy Tiger

You’re going on holiday and you have doubled checked you have everything - twice. You make it to the airport, and onto the plane, everything running smoothly. Then your child asks to hold their favourite toy and that’s when you realise: the toy is stranded at the airport! This is what happened to the Lake family in Florida. Owen, 6, had accidentally left behind his favourite toy, a tiger named Hobbes that had been hand-made by his aunt in Houston, Texas, who the family were going to visit. Amanda, Owen’s mum, frantically called the airport, Tampa International in Florida, to see if Hobbes has been handed in. He hadn’t, and although the staff don’t usually make a priority of finding lost items, they searched the airport because of how important the toy tiger was to the boy. They found Hobbes casually lying near one of the children’s play areas. The Lakes wouldn’t be back straight away and Operations Center Manager Tony D’Aiuto had an idea. Taking inspiration from a story he had heard about a stuffed lion having an adventure around a museum in England, Tony took Hobbes on a little adventure of his own. During his lunch hours, Tony took Hobbes around the airport and took pictures of the little tiger in various poses, checking out some of the jobs that are carried out at the airport. Tony explained that while it felt strange to be walking around with the toy, people would see him and excitedly offer their help. “They took ownership and got creative in ways I couldn’t have,” he said. After taking pictures, and posting them on the airport’s Facebook page, Tony had another idea. Using a promotional code for American pharmacy chain Walgreens, Tony created a book of the pictures, complete with a little story, about Hobbes’ adventures around the airport. The little tiger, along with his book, was then placed in the Lost and Found where he patiently awaited the return of his family. When Owen and his family came back to the airport, on their way back from Houston, he and Hobbes were reunited. So happy to have his favourite toy back, Owen grinned ear-to-ear and loved his little book. “We already told [Owen] over and over that Hobbes was on an adventure," said Amanda. "It was nice to get back and show him that Hobbes really had been on an adventure.”

Teenager Feeds the Hungry of America

All it takes is one little seedling to feed a whole lot of people, something that one green-thumbed teenager found out and built on to feed the hungry of America. Katie Stagliano, 16 from South Carolina, was nine when her teacher gave her a cabbage seedling as part of a school project. She didn’t really have a passion for gardening, but she planted her seedling in the back garden and watered it every day. Before she knew it, Katie had an 18kg (40 pounds) cabbage on her hands. She saw how special the huge cabbage was and decided to donate it to the local soup kitchen, where it was cooked up with rice and ham and served to hungry people. In the end, that one little seedling helped feed more than 275 people. That was when Katie fell in love with gardening and helping people. Her vegetable garden was growing, and soon it was no longer just a small plot in her back garden. Her school said she could create something bigger and better on the school grounds, and Katie leapt at the chance. Here she could grow even more food for the hungry people in her town, as well as encourage her friends and classmates to get more excited about gardening and the wonders that can come from it. Now, seven years after planting that first seedling, Katie’s community garden supplies 1,360kg (3,000 pounds) of fruit and veg that is donated to local charities, through her initiative Katie’s Krops. And where there was once one garden, there now stands 80 in 29 of the US states. But she doesn’t want to stop there; she wants to reach 500 vegetable gardens in all 50 of the states! Katie’s Krops also raises money for grants that enable other young people to follow in Katie’s footsteps and grow fruit and vegetables to feed the hungry in their own communities. Sometimes the programme donates to charities or events, too. “I know that hunger is way too big for one person to take on,” she explained, “but you never know what you can grow from just one thing.” This isn’t all she has been up to, however. That soup kitchen where she donated her first home-grown cabbage closed down, leaving those dependent on it with nowhere to go. In typical Katie fashion, she wanted to help out and she realised that she had these gardens still filled with loads of fresh fruit and vegetables. She now hosts a Katie’s Krops dinner event once a month, with up to 100 diners visiting for a hot and healthy meal. Her hard work over the years has not gone unnoticed. In 2012, she was awarded the Clinton Global Citizen Award, which honours “outstanding individuals” through their vision and leadership. Katie has even created a picture book which tells the tale of how she came to be the Teen Queen when it comes to growing crops and feeding the hungry. The book has now been published and she hopes it inspires others to do the same. So remember, you never know how much can come from the smallest seed, and there are no age restraints of when you can start helping others. Check out the Katie's Krops website and Facebook page to learn more about the teen's ventures, or find out about how you can volunteer your services!

“Forrest Gump” Runs 42 Back-to-Back Marathons

Have you ever taken part in something sponsored for charity - something you have had to really push yourself for, to raise as much money as possible? Most of us have thought about it at least, but it's really heartening to see those people who put their bodies on the line and show us just how many good people there are still out there. Take Ewan Gordon from Bicester in England, for example. He has just completed 42 marathons in the name of raising money in memory of a little boy called Thomas Laurie, who we’ll tell you a little about now. Thomas had a rare condition called Cockayne Syndrome, also known as Neill-Dingwall Syndrome. It is a neurodegenerative disorder, meaning it affects the neurons that are key to the central nervous system. It is thought to affect only one in 500,000 children, but it’s difficult to diagnose. The condition is genetic and is diagnosed in childhood, sometimes from birth, and the prognosis is never good - most only live to between three and seven years old. Among other characteristics, patients will suffer from premature ageing, photosensitivity (sunburn really easily), and slow development. Thomas was nine when he passed away peacefully in Helen & Douglas House in Oxford, last year. Ewan wanted to raise some money and awareness for the charities that looked after Thomas in his short life and decided that running in the boy’s memory would be a great way of doing that. Ewan was to run the length of the UK, from John O’Groats in Scotland to Land’s End in Cornwall. The distance of this trek is about 1,050 miles (1,700km), and would be broken up into 42 marathons. Completing 42 marathons is quite something, but what's even more impressive is completing that many in the same number of days - 42 marathons in 42 days! A friend told Ewan that they would sponsor him more if he dressed up as Forrest Gump, so that became the new plan. If you haven’t seen the iconic movie, the title character, Forrest, runs across America and attracts a huge following of people. So Ewan grew out his hair and let his beard grow free, and soon he was ready. Running about 26 miles (42km) a day, Ewan managed to attract his own followers, with some people joining him for parts of his run. “People just think it is really funny,” he said, “and a lot of people just shout, ‘Run, Forrest, run!’.” On arriving at Land’s End, 42 days after starting and having run a marathon every single day, Ewan could finally relax. And on examining himself, he found he didn’t have a single blister! “Your body just gets used to running that far every day,” he explained. The money he raised - over £10,000 at the time of writing - is being split between four charities chosen by Thomas’ family. These are Amy and Friends Cockayne Syndrome Support, Helen & Douglas House, ROSY (Respite for Oxfordshire’s Sick Youngsters), and Lifelites. “He's supporting the charities that supported us and we're so happy that he is carrying on Thomas’ legacy in a positive way,” said Thomas’ mum, Catherine. “We are so very proud of Ewan and totally humbled by his fundraising in memory of Thomas.” To find out more about Ewan’s run and see more photos of his journey, check out the event’s Facebook page. If you wish to donate to any of the charities in Thomas’ memory, you can find details of that on the page as well. “Like Forrest Gump, I run because I feel the need to and I will stop when my work is done,” Ewan said. “I will stop when they find a cure to Cockayne Syndrome.” And all we can add to that is… “Run, Forrest, run!”

Legal Protection for Apprenticeships!

Apprenticeships are a way of coaching people in a trade or profession with on-the-job training, combined with work in the classroom. But where apprenticeships differ from other courses, aside from the training, is they enable the apprentice to build their career as they learn, and gain a licence to practice in their chosen profession. These types of courses are also generally an alternative to university. And yet, those who complete their apprenticeship often aren't thought of having a qualification at the same level as someone with a degree from university. One of the problems was that there wasn't any legal protection for apprenticeships. The term could be abused - whether intentionally or not - and used to promote courses that didn't actually fall into the "apprenticeship" category. There wasn't always training involved and some employers saw fit to use the term to pay younger staff a lower wage. Bear in mind that up until 2010, there was no minimum wage for apprentices. Even now, if an apprentice is between the ages of 16 and 19, the minimum wage is almost half that for someone the same age receiving the regular minimum wage. But now, in the same way it is illegal to use the term "degree" for anything other than an actual degree, apprenticeships are going to be legally protected, too. What this essentially means is the course will have to fulfil a number of requirements before it can legally be described as an apprenticeship. For example, the course will have to provide at least a year's training. So, someone searching for the course for their perfect career cannot accidentally enrol themselves in one that doesn't provide them with the know-how, training, and qualifications an apprenticeship would. The requirements will be outlined in the government's upcoming Enterprise Bill, which was announced in the Queen's birthday speech. The idea is that the bill will help increase employment in the UK while also improving business rates and leading to more jobs being created. And, to top it all off, apprenticeships will finally have the same status as degrees. One qualification won't be seen as better than the other; whichever route you have chosen, you have obtained a qualification equal to that of the other. According to the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS), under the new law, the government would be able to take action if the requirements are not met. This counts for anyone who misuses the term "apprenticeship" to promote low-quality courses that don't match the criteria. Nick Boles, BIS Minister, asked that if graduates from university are praised and respected for acquiring their degree, why not afford the same to apprentices? He pointed out that businesses know the value of apprentices, so it is about time that they are recognised as equal to graduates by both the law and the people. He also believes more employers should get involved with apprenticeships. "This means making sure we practise what we preach in government, so we're going to require all sector bodies... to employ apprentices," he said. To back this up, the government has pledged to create a further three million apprenticeships over the next five years. Police forces, prisons, hospitals, and schools will all be expected to hire apprentices to encourage other employers and boost the numbers so the target can be reached. The FMB - Federation of Master Builders - is the largest trade association in the building industry, an industry that relies on apprentices. Chief Executive Brian Berry agrees that apprentices haven't been given the status they deserve. However, Mr Berry believes that giving legal protection to apprenticeships should help prevent some organisations in some sectors from misusing the term. “High-quality apprenticeships should be viewed by society just as favourably as university degrees," he said, "and protecting the term from misuse will help ensure this is the case.”

Virtual Reality Helps Stroke Patients Regain Movement

People who have suffered a stroke can experience a range of complications after, such as depression and anxiety. But what of the physical repercussions? Having a stroke can result in weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, called hemiparesis. Paralysis of any kind can take a lot of work to overcome - if it's even possible to - and it's understandable that someone with it would be more inclined to favour their non-paralysed limbs. But, as you can imagine, not using your muscles for a prolonged period of time can damage them more, with further loss of function. And while it might have been possible for the weakened limbs to regain some use, more work is needed to repair it the longer it hasn't been used. But researchers in Spain, at the Pompeu Fabra University, think they have found a way of helping stroke patients with hemiparesis recover some movement back in their under-used arms. The team's study involved 20 such patients and was published in the Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation. The researchers were sometimes able to convince the study participants that their affected limb was more accurate than it actually was, on a screen. During the study, the patients were asked to reach for targets that appeared on the screen, using virtual arms in a virtual environment, powered by their own limbs. Without informing the participants they were doing so, the researchers gradually improved the movements of some of the patients' virtual limbs. This made them appear faster and more accurate and easy to use. The performances were recorded, for the trials with normal settings as well as with the adjustments. This information included which arm they favoured when reaching in the tests, too. The team found that after the adjustments - making the limbs seem more effective - the patients' actual performance was stronger and they were more likely to use their hemiparetic limbs than before the changes were made. For example, when they went to reach for something before any changes had been made, there was only a 35% chance of them using their weaker limb. Study lead Dr Belen Rubio said that 10 minutes was all it took to significant change "use of the affected limb". And the changes really were remarkable, with the hemiparetic arm being chosen 50% of the time - just like with a healthy arm. Dr Rubio explained that continuing to train and relearn spontaneous arm use, could have an amazing impact on their overall recovery process. She added that new rehabilitation strategies are needed to encourage patients with hemiparesis to use their affected limbs in daily activities, to make them stronger. "Often we neglect the remarkable contribution of the patient's emotional and physiological states of recovery," she said, "and this includes their confidence." So, what we have to remember is the amount of damage being caused through the limbs not being used. The Stroke Association agrees, saying that physical and mental rehabilitation, like that demonstrated in the study, can help rewire the patients' brains and aid their recovery. Of course, larger trials are still needed, but with this study, we are one step closer to helping stroke sufferers recover and get back to their former glory.

102-Year-Old is Oldest Person to Receive Doctorate

Dr Ingeborg Rapoport from Germany has become the oldest person in the world to have received her doctorate, at the grand old age of 102. This, in itself, is amazing news, but how this story came to be might be even more incredible. Ingeborg should have received her PhD almost 80 years ago - when she was still Ingeborg Syllm and finishing her medical studies at the University of Hamburg in 1938. Her doctoral thesis was on diphtheria, a very serious problem in Germany at the time. All she had left to do is sit her final oral exam. But diphtheria wasn't the only thing causing turbulence for the German people. Nazi oppression and anti-Semitic laws were rife, and Ingeborg's mother was Jewish. Despite being raised as a Protestant, a letter from the university confirmed that her doctorate, sadly, wasn't on the cards. As the country become more and more of a dangerous place for Jewish people and their families, Ingeborg left for the US. Here, she re-enrolled at university and was finally able to qualify as a doctor. With a few years, Ingeborg met and married biochemist Dr Samuel Mitja Rapoport. Samuel had had his own troubled past as a Jewish refugee from Austria, and would go own to have his own prestigious career. Ingeborg started working as a paediatrician in the US, specialising in neonatology - newborns - and progressed to become head of the paediatric department. In 1950, the war over, the couple returned to Europe, first to Austria, and then back to Germany, returning to their careers and having four children along the way. Obviously not one to be held back, and now a Professor of Paediatrics, Ingeborg became Europe's first chair in neonatal medicine, the highest possible academic rank for her field. She was even awarded a national prize for her work, which helped to dramatically reduce the infant mortality rate in Germany, and she established the first neonatology clinic in the country. But despite all of her life's achievement, Ingeborg still hadn't received her doctorate from Hamburg University. That is, until the university realised there was a wrong that still needed righting. Last month, three professors from the university's medical faculty travelled to Berlin, where Ingeborg lives now. Their goal was to assess her knowledge on her thesis on diphtheria from all that time ago. Dr Burkard Göke, Hamburg University's Hospital Medical Director, said that while the university can't undo any injustices committed, insights into the past could help shape their perspective for the future. "After 80 years, it was possible to restore some extent of justice," he explained. Although Ingeborg was highly educated on the subject of diphtheria, there have been a lot of developments in the field over the last 70 years or so, as you can imagine. So Ingeborg enlisted the help of her friend to research these advancements online, and hopefully impress the professors. It was evident that the amount of time since being a medical professional hadn't affected the depth of her knowledge, and it certainly showed. "We were impressed with her intellectual alertness and left speechless by her expertise, also with regard to modern medicine," exclaimed Prof Dr Uwe Koch-Gromus, Dean of the university's medical faculty. Ingeborg travelled to the university's medical centre for the special ceremony she should have been able to attend all those years ago. And here, she finally received her PhD, concluding her studies with an overall grade of magna cum laude - with great distinction. But Ingeborg was very clear on the matter of why she decided to go through with all this so late in life. “It was about the principle,” she said. “I did not want to defend my thesis for my own sake. After all, at the age of 102, all of this wasn’t exactly easy for me - I did it for the victims.”

For the Love of Laundry – and Helping Others

If you've ever been through hard times - which most of us have, at some point - you might have considered helping people who are in that same situation you managed to survive. That’s what Melissa Power from Ontario in Canada wanted to do, and she came up with a wonderful way of doing it. Once a single mother, Melissa was struggling to make ends meet. She had such little money that she often had to choose between having clean clothes and putting food on the table. She still remembers the humiliation from having to make that choice today. “It is a first impression people will see, and they will judge you for that, even without knowing why you had to make that choice,” she said. “Cleans clothes are a basic necessity, right up there with housing and food. You can go without it, but you really can’t go far.” After trying to figure out ways she could save money, she started making her own laundry detergent. Of course, it's difficult to judge how much you need when you're making it yourself, and Melissa soon found that she had a surplus on her hands. Not wanting anything to go to waste, she decided to donate the leftovers to social service agencies. The idea was those in need wouldn't have to worry about buying soap to wash their clothes with and take a little bit of weight off their shoulders. But then it occurred to her that if they couldn't afford to buy soap, they certainly wouldn't be able to pay for the machines in the Laundromat. She came up with a new strategy and started selling her soap to local shops. The money she received, she paid to local Laundromats in exchange for them letting struggling people come in and wash their clothes for free. This is how For the Love of Laundry was born. The programme partners up with Laundromats around London, Ontario, and raises money to pay for the running of the machines for events held once a month. Money is raised for these events by selling to local shops, as we explained before, but by also making the products available to people online, via their website. Donations of ingredients for the soaps and other products are welcome. At the events, customers can go to the Laundromats, wash all of their clothes for free, use Melissa's homemade soap for free, and enjoy free coffee and snacks while they wait. All kinds of people visit the events: single-parent families, those on a fixed-income, even homeless people. But here is a place where they can all come together and wash their clothes without worries or anything else standing in their way. They are able to save so much money, and not at the expense of having clean clothes. But more than that, they form a community, with regular attendees building friendships - which can be just as important for people with little else. Melissa submitted the concept for For the Love of Laundry to The Awesome Foundation, and if her pitch had won, it would have received a grant of $1,000. The idea was well-received, but it didn’t win the grant, though it did win the support of several of the judges. Melissa is currently working on ideas to expand the programme, such as setting up events in other cities. She is also working on getting school boards to reach out to students in need of laundry services, and making donated clothing available for those who need it. If you're in the area and would like to contribute to the programme, you can visit the donations page. And to find out more about the programme, and get the latest news, why not check out their Facebook page. For the Love of Laundry is a fine example of a life turned around, and just might be able to help others do the same.

All Wishes Come True for Boy Born Without Ears

It's not very common, but some babies are born with only one ear because of a condition called microtia, or bilateral microtia when it affects both ears. In the UK, microtia affects around 100 children every year. Nine-year-old Kieran Sorkin from Hertfordshire in England was one of these children. He was born deaf and only had small lobes where his ears would have been if they had developed properly. Kieran had a hearing aid implanted so he was able to hear better, but when he started school, he struggled to make friends because the other children couldn't understand why he didn't look like them. After changing schools - to one with a deafness unit for every year group - he blossomed and made lots of friends. But what he wanted, more than anything, was to look like his friends, and be able to wear earphones and sunglasses. Then, when he was six, Kieran watched a TV programme about ear surgery, and that's when he decided that he wanted to have ears just like everyone else. He longed to have ears of his own, and his family just wanted him to be happy and accepted by everyone else. And last year, the first part of his wish came true! In August, Kieran and his mum Louise went to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London to get his new ears. Dr Neil Bulstrode was the consultant plastic surgeon, who explained that when a patient has one ear, they can match the new one to it. However, in Kieran’s case, the doctor stencilled the shape of Louise’s ears and said they should work just as well. The operation wouldn’t actually help Kieran's hearing, but would give him the ears he spent years yearning for. To start with, the surgeons removed a little cartilage from six of Kieran’s ribs. They then cut the cartilage, shaped it, and sewed the ear frames onto his head. Skin was then taken from his scalp to make pockets for the cartilage frames to sit in and suction was used to take the air out to help the ears take their proper shape. Believe it or not, Great Ormond Street Hospital actually carries out around 40 of these operations every year, though they usually have one ear to work from. For bilateral reconstructions, like Kieran’s, sometimes they work on one ear at a time. But by creating both at the same time, it meant the team were more able to make sure the boy’s ears were balanced just right. Dr Bulstrode explained that the operation can bring huge psychological benefits. The patients’ confidence increases massively, and, as a result, their performance at school also gets a boost. “If you can change the confidence of a patient at this young age,” he said, “you can change their whole trajectory in life.” Within ten years or so, a less invasive procedure, using stem cells to grow ears, could be implemented, which would mean cartilage wouldn’t have to be taken from the patient’s rib cage. Of course, Kieran didn’t mind, and despite the pain in his ribs, his reaction, when he saw himself in a mirror three days after his operation, was one of awe. “Wow!” he said, followed by a fit of giggles. Although already delighted with the result, Kieran still wouldn't be able to wear sunglasses or earphones just yet. He would need to have another operation six months after the first, in February, to make his ears stand out from his head more. And now, almost a year after first getting his ears, Kieran has finally been given the go-ahead to wear sunglasses for the first time ever - just in time for summer! He slipped them on and caught sight of himself in the mirror. “Awesome!” he exclaimed, with a big grin on his face. Kieran’s mum and dad, David, said that they had been worried they were making the right choice for their son, changing the features he was born with. But it was important to them that it was Kieran’s choice and they are so happy that they allowed him to go through with it. “Kieran has been brave throughout this journey, and the results are overwhelming,” said Louise. “It’s already made such a huge difference to his self-esteem and confidence.” The happy boy admitted that he was worried about the ears he would get - maybe elephant ears, or like a mouse - but he is pleased with having his mum’s ears. “It is weird, but I feel great,” he said. “Dr Bulstrode is the best surgeon as he made my wishes come true!”

“Female Viagra” Approved by FDA

Most of us will have heard of Viagra, which is often prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction and help men enjoy a happy and healthy "love" life again. "But what of the female equivalent?" ask women's rights activists. It's been something that pharmaceutical companies have been trying to tackle for some years. And now, a drug that has twice been rejected in the past few of years has finally been approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in the US. Flibanserin - which has been dubbed the "Female Viagra" - will be used to treat the low libido of premenopausal women, after doctors have rules out diagnoses such as relationship problems or depression. The drug, developed by Sprout Pharmaceuticals, comes in the form of a pill that would have to be taken every day, although it doesn't start taking effect for a couple of weeks. Originally created to treat depression, Flibanserin works by targetting two neurotransmitters, dopamine and norepinephrine, in the brain, in the hope of revving up the libido. Dopamine, which you might have known, plays a role in reward-motivated behaviour, with the level of the chemical increasing with most types of rewards. By controlling the brain's pleasure and reward centres when triggering the dopamine neurotransmitter, a person's libido could be improved. Norepinephrine is responsible for concentration, so it helps to control our attention and responses to things in our environment. Targetting this neurotransmitter could help direct the patient's attention to their partner when becoming intimate. So, even though Flibanserin is being called the "Female Viagra", it doesn't actually work in the same way. Viagra, which has been available since 1998, controls blood flow to the genitals, so while it does not affect the patient's sexual desire, it does help with erectile dysfunction. However, Flibanserin wasn't actually found to improve sexual desire during clinical trials. Instead, it helped to increase the number of times the patient had a "satisfying sexual episode" in a month. Trial participants reported having between 0.5 and one more "satisfying" event in that time. Now, we know that this doesn't sound like very much. But as Dr Julia Heiman from Indiana University's Kinsey Institute pointed out: "Even modest results can make a lot of difference when you are at a certain point in the clinical problem." Flibanserin has gotten its approval because it's been backed by the FDA's experts. "It is clear to me that there were very consistent benefits in measures we understand for some portion of women," explained Dr Kevin Weinfurt, an advisory committee member. But the approval comes with the condition that some of the drug's possible side effects are addressed. And now, you'll find out why. Patients treated with the medication can experience fainting or drowsiness, and there are concern that these side effects could cause further problems, such as when driving. On top of this, the side effects are exacerbated by alcohol, and because the pills have to be taken every day to be effective, drinking alcohol is a big "no-no". But there is another drug currently being worked on to help boost the female libido. Palatin Technologies Inc, another pharmaceutical company, is developing a drug called Bremelanotide, which will also treat the low libido of female patients. As you might imagine, after the news of Flibanserin being approved, shares in Bremelanotide have jumped up considerably. Bremelanotide will work in the same was as Flibanserin, but instead of being administered as a daily pill, the patient will only have to have an injection as and when it's required. There might be some of you who are thinking that the side effects of Flibanserin are a little too concerning. But what should really be taken away from this story is that there are solutions and treatments out there - they just need to be developed.

Children’s Charity Gets Boost from Online Community

What if you had the chance to make the hospital experience of a child just a little more comfortable? Children in hospital still want to be able to do all the things that other children do. Unfortunately, hospital budgets don't cover entertainment for these kids, and they have to rely on donations. This is where Get-Well Gamers comes in. They provide hospitals with consoles and games so that the kids have a way to wile away the time between visits. And besides, did you know that playing computer games has also proven to help manage pain in some patients? Founded in the US in 2001, Get-Well Gamers has gone on to help out hundreds of hospitals around the world, all year round. Everything is donated, so the hospitals don't have to pay anything, and the children can enjoy anything from a classic games system to the very latest next-gen console. The charity is able to do this through the generosity of people giving away their old games and electronic toys, as well as money, which goes towards shipping. UK Reddit user James Stewart came across a post about the Get-Well Gamers Foundation and thought it such an amazing idea that he contacted them to see if they had a chapter in the UK. It turned out they didn't, and so Get-Well Gamers UK was born. "Hospitals can be tough, even when you're old enough to know exactly what's going on," James said on the charity's website. "When you're a child, it's scary and confusing." James, who goes by the Reddit username ShetlandJames, launched the UK faction last year, but despite Reddit posts to raise awareness for it, Get-Well Gamers UK hadn't received much publicity. It received a couple of donations here and there, but nothing major. But last week, another Reddit user, Downvotes4Samson, posted about a little girl they knew who had to spend some time in hospital. In the playroom was an Xbox 360 for the children to play on. The user thought it was a brilliant idea, and after a little research found the games console had been given to the hospital by Get-Well Gamers UK. Reading more about the charity, the user posted to Reddit to encourage everyone to make a contribution. Within an hour of the post, James received an email from PayPal informing him that someone had donated £100. Half an hour later, another donation was made, then another, and another. The Get-Well Gamers UK website was also getting hundreds of hit, which was unheard of before Downvotes4Samson's initial post. And not only was the site overrun with people donating their gaming stuff, they were also offering their free time. Less than five hours after that initial Reddit post was made, James received another alert from Paypal: someone had donated a whopping £900 - more than all of the other donations put together! At the moment, Get-Well Gamers UK helps just over 40 hospitals, but thanks to all of the latest donations (totalling more than £1,600), that could extend to more than 300 hospitals across the UK! If you would like to help sick children in hospital feel even just a little bit better, check out Get-Well Gamers UK's About and Donation pages, and follow the instructions there. You can also visit the US site here. And, finally, a huge "WELL DONE" to everyone who has already donated!

Could Sleep Training Rid the World of Prejudice?

When we sleep, our brains process what we have learnt throughout the day. So, is it possible for us to relearn deeply-ingrained prejudices - no matter how big or small - while we are sleeping? According to a small study of 40 people, published in Science and carried out by Northwestern University in Chicago, it just might be! Bearing in mind how small the study was, the authors believe that any racial or sexual bias we might have (even subconscious), could be reduced by manipulating the way our brains learn while we sleep. All of the study participants were white and in the 18-to-30 age bracket, and took a series of tests beforehand to assess the levels of their prejudices - conscious or otherwise. (You can check out your own scores by taking the tests here.) After they had taken the tests and their scores had be assessed, the people in the study participated in some exercises. These tasks showed the group pairs of faces with a word beneath them, and each participant had to choose the face they felt countered the typical bias. For example, one of the pairings that popped up was a white woman's face with the word "math" beneath, and a black man's face with "sunshine" under it. The study participants had to choose which combination of face-and-word they felt was most opposite from one another. After the choice had been made, depending on whether the response was correct or incorrect, a sound would ring. Following this was another exercise, in which the participant would hear the corresponding correct or incorrect tone, and choose the pairing accordingly, reinforcing the associations from the first exercise. Once all of the tasks had been completely, the group had a monitored 90-minute nap. While they slept, the team played the sounds from the exercises again, but at a lower volume and amid white noise. When the prejudice assessments were taken again, the team found an overall reduction in both racial and sexual bias scores. And a week later, the "sleep training" appeared to still have an effect, with the scores still lower than when the tests were initially taken. Professor Ken Paller was the lead author of the study. He explained that to know the full effects of using "counter-bias training" (as the team has called it), a bigger experiment is needed. If an extended experiment were to take place, then study participants would have to interact with and make decisions about other people in person. "[There] is the question of whether people in positions of authority in society, such as judges and police officers... should have their unconscious bias evaluated, and perhaps trained to some standard," he added. But the study authors believe this method could be applied in a variety of ways, and not just to reduce prejudice. For example, if people wanted to get rid of some of their bad habits, such as smoking, drinking, or eating unhealthily, counter-vias training has the potential to help. As long as it's used wisely, application of sleep training has the potential to change the world for the better - so watch this space!

Cast & Crew Create ‘Big Bang’ Science Scholarship

How many of you have watched science-nerd sitcom The Big Bang Theory? If you have, then you'll know that it centres around a bunch of stereotypical science academics, their careers, and their passions (which involves a lot of sci-fi, as you can imagine!). The series has been running for eight seasons and has managed to make science fun and interesting for a lot of people. And what better to repay their loyal fans, in the same vein as the show, than to make it possible for future scientists to fulfil their dreams? Around fifty people associated with the show have contributed to a scholarship fund to help low-income science students at UCLA, something they have been discussing setting something like this up for a couple of years. They realised that when the show first aired, freshmen in college would have only been about 10 years old, and would have grown up watching it. In 2007, Mayim Bialik, who plays Amy Farrah Fowler on the show, earned her PhD in neuroscience at UCLA. And despite some of Big Bang being set in "rival" university Caltech, the team decided that UCLA was the more deserving choice. Big Bang creator Chuck Lorre explained that UCLA had more of a need for the scholarship fund than Caltech. However, it's possible that the team will be looking to extend the fund to other universities in and out of the state in the future. "Unlike Caltech, which is a much smaller, private operation, UCLA has a need for rich scholarships for high-performing STEM students who financially are falling short for getting great education," he explained. The university has another tie-in with the show, other than Mayim Bialik's doctorate, with David Saltzberg PhD. He's a professor of physics and astronomy at UCLA, and also The Big Bang Theory's science consultant. The scholarship fund, which is the first one created by a television show's cast and crew for UCLA, will go towards students in science, maths, technology, and engineering. As we said before, The Big Bang Theory has attracted a huge fan base, including some famous names - some of which have even graced the show with cameo roles. Wil Wheaton, for example, is known for Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG), but has a recurring role on the show, playing himself. Other sci-fi actors you might have spotted (or will want to keep a look out for) are Summer Glau, Katee Sackhoff, Nathan Fillion, George Takei, and Leonard Nimoy. But if you're more into the science-fact stuff, Professor Stephen Hawking makes a couple of appearances, as well as astronaut Buzz Aldrin, and Bill Nye the Science Guy. And this is just a small handful of big names to have appeared on the show! As Mr Lorre pointed out, the show is enthusiastically supported by the science community, and the scholarship fund is an opportunity for those involved to give back to their supporters. "Our Big Bang family has made a meaningful contribution," he explained. "And, together, we'll share in the support of these future scholars, scientists, and leaders." When the fund launches, there will be 20 students taking up scholarships for the 2015-16 academic year, who might not otherwise have been able to pursue their passion for a career in science. These first 20 lucky scholars will be announced on the set of The Big Bang Theory later this year, in autumn. After that, another five students will be invited into the scholarship every year.  

Cold Sore Virus Can Kill Skin Cancer?

If any of you suffer from the occasional cold sore, it might be hard to imagine how such an annoying mark on your face could possibly be of benefit to anyone. It's even more irritating when you consider that cold sores are a variation of the herpes virus. But a genetically engineered version of this virus has shown real promise for treating malignant melanoma - skin cancer. Using a virus to treat another illness is called viral immunotherapy. In this case, the cold sore virus has been modified so that it can't replicate in healthy cells, leaving only cancer cells to focus on. This new cancer-fighting virus is called Talimogene Laherparepvec, or T-Vec for short. When T-Vec is injected into a tumour, it replicates in the cancer cells and releases substances that fight cancer. This has already been shown in phase-3 trial results, which have been published in Journal of Clinical Oncology. The results are from the largest ever randomised trial of virus immunotherapy in the fight against skin cancer. They showed that some melanoma patients could have years more survival than without the therapy. All of the 436 patients in the study had aggressive and inoperable skin cancer. However, those treated early on in their disease's progression survive an average of 20 months longer than those participants who were given an alternative treatment. The international trial, which covered the South Africa, the US and Canada, as well as the UK, yielded such positive results that T-Vec could become widely available from next year. Professor Kevin Harrington from the Institute of Cancer Research in London is the trial leader in the UK. He said that using treatments like T-Vec for cancer is exciting because of the so-called "two-pronged attack" against the disease. T-Vec not only directly kills cancer cells, it also boosts the immune system against them as well. "And because viral treatment can target cancer cells specifically," he explained, "it tends to have fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy." Professor Harrington added that he and other experts in the field hope T-Vec is just the start of a new development of cancer-fighting treatments that we'll be hearing about over the 10 years or so. Dr Hayley Frend, Cancer Research UK's Science Information Manager, said that T-Vec had already been shown to benefit some people with skin cancer in previous trials. However, this is the first study - in the world - to have shown to increase the length of patient survival. "The next step will be to understand why only some patients respond to T-Vec," she added, "to help better identify which patients might benefit from it."

Akon is Bringing Electricity to Africa!

If we asked you what you know about Akon, you might be able to tell us that he is an award-winning R&B and Hip Hop star. But what you might not know is that he has spent the last couple of years trying to bring electricity to a part of the world that is shrouded in darkness when the sun goes down - Africa. Of course, Akon hasn't been going it alone. Together with Thione Niang and entrepreneur Samba Bathily, Akon launched a company that aims to bring electricity to the 600 million people across some of Africa's poorest and most rural countries. According to Akon Lighting Africa's website, around 80% of the world has access to electricity, but only 30% of the African population enjoys the benefits. The company only launched in February of last year. However, in the short amount of time since then, solar energy has brought light and other electric "luxuries" - such as street lights - to 14 countries in Africa so far. For the first time ever, houses and villages, health centres and schools, have all been connected to electricity. And because electricity has been introduced to these places, a number of job opportunities have opened up in those communities. These jobs are particularly important for the younger people and vary from installations to maintenance. Akon Lighting Africa has been looking into more ways of bringing electricity to more people, and they announced their latest plans to do this just a couple of weeks ago. The aim is to enable the African people to help themselves and each other by opening a solar academy in Bamako, the capital Mali. Mr Bathily said that there is both enough sun and technology to bring electricity to everyone. "[But] we are doing more than just investing in clean energy," he pointed out. "We are investing in human capital; we can achieve great milestones." The solar academy is a training centre that will be opening this summer, enabling people to learn about solar power and how to make the most of the 320 days of sun a year the continent experiences. People who attend the academy well learn how to maintain solar-powered electricity systems and microgrids, which are small power grids that can operate independently. These types of systems have been growing quickly in Africa and are a great way of harnessing the continent's natural resources. One of the founders of Akon Lighting Africa, Mr Niang, explained that the hope is for people who graduate from the academy to be able to come up with their own innovative technical solutions. "With this academy," he concluded, "we can capitalise on Akon Lighting Africa and go further." Alongside their sister company Solektra International, Akon Lighting Africa are slowly shedding light (and electricity) on Africa.

More Kids are Reading for Fun!

Just when you might have given up all hope of children reading for fun, new research from the National Literacy Trust (NLT) suggests otherwise. For the survey, around 32,000 school children between the ages of eight and 18 were asked questions about their reading habits and their favourite material to read. What they found was the both enjoyment of reading and how often the kids actually read is at the highest levels for nine years, with around 60% of the children questioned having a favourite work of fiction. NLT Director Jonathan Douglas has attributed the findings to popular series of books over the last few years, such as Twilight and The Hunger Games, as well as some reading campaigns to encourage young people to read. "Book Start, the Summer Reading Challenge, and the Young Readers Challenge have combined with the attraction and ease of digital reading," he explained. In the list of favourite fiction from the school children, there were four familiar titles take the top spots. All of these books have become hugely popular film franchises - Diary of a Wimpy Kid, topping the list, followed closely by The Hunger Games, the Twilight series, and the Harry Potter books. But kids aren't just reading books, they're reading everything. From magazines and comics to emails and texts, to poems and song lyrics, kids are reading so much! Of course, as is often the case with studies like this, there is a persistent gender gap, with girls showing more of an interest in reading outside of the classroom than boys. 46.5% of girls admitted to this, while only 35.8% of boys said the same. More than 60% of girls also said they enjoyed reading "very much" or "quite a lot", compared with less than half of the boys questions in the survey. And while reading has come a long way in terms of popularity, more than half of the children in the study said they favoured watching TV over reading - though, that isn't really shocking! Mr Douglas explained that almost a third of disadvantaged children also don't believe their parents care or not if they read outside of school. Despite this, he said it was very encouraging that the number of those that do read every day has risen dramatically. "More must be done to help parents realise what a difference reading with their children from a young age can make to their future," he added. War Horse author Michael Morpurgo agreed, explaining that there are still a lot of boys who find no pleasure in reading because they are disheartened by it. This means that there are still some children who will never become readers at all. Because of this, he said that it's up to adults - authors and illustrators, as well as parents and teachers - to make reading an enjoyable experience for children, even for the most reluctant readers. He said that it was great news to know there are children who are taking up reading and making it a part of their lives. "This is quiet enrichment," he added. "This is growing awareness; this is the heart of the matter of education for life." So, if you have children at home, even nieces or nephews or grandchildren, why not settle down with them with a book and allow them to bring the story alive for you.

L’Oreal to Use 3D-Printed Skin for Testing?

Cosmetic company L'Oreal is teaming up with 3D-printing company Organovo to completely revolutionise how cosmetics are tested - with 3D-printed skin! Of course, we don't advocate animal testing, and L'Oreal claims not to have tested on any of its products on animals since 2013. So, how does it make sure its products are fit for use on people's skin? L'Oreal has been engineering tissue in a lab for more than 30 years, growing human skin from donations from plastic surgery patients. At the moment, the company makes more than 100,000 samples of skin each year, with nine different varieties that cover different ethnicities and ages. Unfortunately, these samples are only 0.5cm², and take a week to produce. If you think about how much skin the company would need to test all of its different skincare products, you would realise that a week is a very long time for something like that to be produced. But what L'Oreal is planning with Organovo is going to change all that, and make the whole process go a lot quicker - by 3D-printing human skin. Organovo has previously said that it was capable of 3D-printing a functioning human liver, using a slightly different method of printing organs than other companies have tried. Instead of using a scaffolding system, Organovo's method allows for direct assembly. Guive Balooch is the Director for L'Oreal's connected Beauty Incubator and Global VP of the company's Technology Incubator. In a press release, he explained that the Technology Incubator was developed to uncover innovations that could potentially transform the beauty business. So while partnering up with Organovo might seem like a strange move, especially as the 3D-printer hasn't been connected with a cosmetics company before, it does explain a little more how this came to be. "Organovo has broken new ground with 3D-bioprinting, an area that complements L'Oreal's pioneering work in the research and application of reconstructed skin," Mr Balooch pointed out. He added that the partnership will also hopefully advance safety and performance evaluations in the lab, and "the potential for where this new fields of technology and research can take us is boundless". Of course, using this new method will further reduce the need for testing cosmetic products on animals, and it is hoped that other companies in the industry will follow suit. "We are excited to be partnering with L'Oreal," said Organovo CEO Keith Murphy. "[Its] leadership in the beauty industry is rooted in scientific innovation and a deep commitment to research and development."